"A household residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have since been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can act as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
