"A family based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest across the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified 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 stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who share these doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
