"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled tutor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it could be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool 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 accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating