"A household located in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of first skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not automatically create the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
