"Parents based in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to find a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention in the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that despite initial doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is rather osmotic," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to cultivate.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically British tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating