"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. 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 in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
