"Parents residing in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention in the media, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite initial doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, 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 already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the goal they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
