"A family based in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most important element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted notice throughout the press, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial skepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
He said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
