"Parents located in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as mere an expression.
However, it could be the crucial part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "They know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically UK tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
