"Parents residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention across the news, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been educated knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from infancy will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
