"A household located in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it may be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have those doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not instantly produce the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
