"Parents located in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily skip the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the media, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, said that in spite of first scepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds 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 performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "They realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating