"A family based in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally skip the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
He said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
