"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention across the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "They know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
