"A household residing in north London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted interest in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam noted 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 instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the goal they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
