"A household located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally overlook the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have since been received since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the media, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unusual character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to impart.
He said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
