"A family based in north London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice in the media, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young 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 already taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will does not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
