"A household located in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the media, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the attributes of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly English tutor from infancy will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
