"Parents located in north London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to guide their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted notice across the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they wish to instil.
He noted the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
