"Parents located in North London wants to find an exceptional and skilled educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the press, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
