"A household located in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite first scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to instil.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
