"A household based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.
However, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been received since the anonymous family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received interest in the media, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "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 carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not necessarily create the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
