"Parents based in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily miss the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had 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 appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered he. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
