"Parents residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily skip the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
However, it could be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest in the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told Adam they did not want history to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
