"Parents located in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is kind of osmotic," said the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds 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 don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
