"A family located in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention in the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want 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 plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can function as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
