"Parents residing in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest in the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the start here is kind of osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
