"A household residing in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most important aspect of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest in the news, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly create the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
