"Parents based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the press, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a infant child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
