"A household residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most important element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that despite early doubt, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated 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 age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", said he. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
