"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it may be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the media, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they explained 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 set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is kind of osmotic," said Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to impart.
He said the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have these doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
