"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been received since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody 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 commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
