"A family based in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received notice in the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite first skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "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, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
