"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have already been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice in the news, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have those concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
