"A household based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and qualified instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received notice across the media, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from babyhood will will not instantly create the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
