"A family located in north London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that in spite of initial doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who have these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
