"Parents residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant element of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the news, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
