"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he found the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
