"Parents located in North London wants to find an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who share these doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
