"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest across the news, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
