"A family residing in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the press, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told him they did not want the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who share those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
