"A family based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most significant aspect of this unique employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered he. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share those doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
