"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and experienced educator to guide their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most important element of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified 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 conditioning had already set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
