"A household located in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the press, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite first scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed him the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
