"A family located in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
However, it may be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.
Many of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention across the press, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from babyhood will will not instantly create the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
