"Parents residing in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, winter sports, creative fields 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 sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
