"Parents residing in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it may be the crucial element of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention in the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite early doubt, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to 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 instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have these reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the attributes of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
