"Parents located in North London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it could be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the media, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
