"Parents residing in North London wants to find an exceptional and skilled educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest across the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", said he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who share these doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
