"Parents based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as mere an expression.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "They realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
