"Parents based in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it may be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been received since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest in the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
