"A household based in north London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest across the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds 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, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", said he. "They understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
