"A family residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a mentor for a infant.
Many of responses have already been received since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite early skepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
