"Parents based 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 readily miss the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have since been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the news, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
