"A household based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it could be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
