"A household residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unnamed family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of first doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
