"Parents based in north London wants to find an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice across the media, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
