"Parents located in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to support their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest in the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is kind of osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
