"A household located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial element of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention across the press, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, explained that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be someone who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
