"A family located in north London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of first doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained 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 point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically produce the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
