"Parents residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
