"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest in the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
Adam noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", might the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
