"Parents located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the news, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding early skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
He said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – 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, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
