"A household based in north London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention across the media, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
