"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have these doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating