"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it might be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted interest across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have these reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
