"Parents residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it may be the crucial element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained attention across the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite early scepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they understood the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they aim to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
