"Parents located in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been received since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated 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 age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons 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 become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
