"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait 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 taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "They know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will not automatically create the goal they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
