"A household based in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important element of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the media, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself 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.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied he. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who share those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
