"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the crucial element of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can act as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
