"Parents residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the media, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite early doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – 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 performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from infancy will not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
