"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice across the news, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically create the outcome they want.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
