"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
Yet, it could be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been sent in since the anonymous family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the media, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want the same situation to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", might the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
