"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes 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, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been brought up understanding and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
