"A household located in North London wants to find an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice across the media, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite first doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated 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 age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
