"A household based in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it may be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite initial scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who have those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
