"A family based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily skip the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they did not want history to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not instantly create the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
