"A household located in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest in the media, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be someone 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 right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
