"Parents based in North London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite early scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", said Adam. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
