"Parents located in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention in the news, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who share those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
