"A household based in North London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this unusual job advert, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the media, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
