"Parents residing in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Many of responses have already been submitted 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 post has gained notice in the news, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that despite initial doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they did not want the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
