"A household located in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received notice across the press, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first doubt, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child 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 the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
