"A family residing in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been received since the unidentified family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest across the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional aspect 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 older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been raised experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can act as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
