"A household located in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice across the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will will not automatically create the result they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
