"A household residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the phrase "beginning" as simple an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that despite initial skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical character of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
