"Parents located in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important part of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite early doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they did not want the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
