"A family located in North London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the news, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite initial doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
