"A family located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest across the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite early doubt, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
