"A household located in North London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention throughout the media, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they did not want this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to 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 educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
