"Parents located in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice in the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that despite early skepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they want to impart.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had relocated from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will will not instantly achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
