"A family residing in north London wants to find an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a infant.
Many of responses have already been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite first scepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
