"Parents located in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as simple an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received attention across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is kind of osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
