"A family residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the crucial aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite first skepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is kind of osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who express these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
