"A family located in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have already been received since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention in the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they did not want history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
