"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest in the press, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who have these reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically create the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
