"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial doubt, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual character of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have these concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the result they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
