"Parents based in North London seeks an exceptional and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that despite first skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want the same situation to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
