"A family located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that in spite of early skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
