"A family based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
