"A household based in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily skip the wording "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the media, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated 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 point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
He explained 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 suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will not necessarily create the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
