"Parents located in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "beginning" as mere figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite early skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the outcome they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
