"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
However, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that despite early skepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, 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 point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam noted the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
