"A household located in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have already been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the media, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of first scepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they aim to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will not necessarily create the outcome they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
