"Parents residing in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the media, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
He said the tutor had to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
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 "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
