"A household based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it may be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention across the news, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
He said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", answered he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who have similar reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly produce the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
