"Parents located in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
