"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the reality that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
