"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest in the news, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want history to recur with their infant.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly create the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
