"A household based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most important element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice across the news, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of early skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to him they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share those reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
