For many UAE families, the first week back at school means more than setting early alarms, preparing uniforms and packing lunchboxes. Some working parents are also adjusting their own schedules, taking annual leave or working from home to help their children settle back into a routine.
Dubai resident Lamya Hisham, a mother of two children under the age of 10, is among those who planned her annual leave around the start of the new school year.
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“As much as I look forward to them going back to school, it also scares me a little,” she said. “After such a long summer break, I want to make sure I am fully ready for it and that they are ready too.”
As soon as the school calendar and summer break dates were confirmed, Hisham said she applied for leave around the week her children were due to return.
“There is a lot happening in those first few days. You are trying to get their sleeping routine back, make sure everything is ready, drop them off and then see how they are adjusting when they come home,” she said.
For her, taking time away from work allows her to focus on the transition without having to immediately balance the morning school run with getting to the office.
Another Dubai resident, and a friend of Hisham, opted for a different arrangement. Rather than using a full week of annual leave, she arranged to work from home during the first week of school.
“I didn’t necessarily want to take the whole week off because work is still going on,” Marwa Al Amin said. “Working from home gives me another option. I can still work, but I don’t have to worry about the time it takes to commute to the office after dropping the kids off.”
She said removing the office commute from her morning gives her more flexibility if drop-offs take longer than expected or if her children need extra attention during their first few days back.
For father-of-three Mohamed Ibrahim, the days leading up to the new school year can be stressful for parents as they try to move an entire household from the slower pace of summer back into a structured routine.
“The week before school and the first few days can be stressful. Everything changes at once, from sleeping and waking up to meals, drop-offs and work schedules,” he said.
He believes parents choosing to take leave or temporarily adjust their working arrangements should not be seen as being less efficient, either at home or at work.
“Taking a few days off doesn’t mean you are less efficient as a parent or as an employee,” Ibrahim said. “Some parents simply prefer to reduce the stress during that week so they can start the school year in a better routine.”
For these parents, the adjustment is temporary. Once school routines settle and children become accustomed to their schedules again, normal working arrangements resume. But having a few days of flexibility at the
Source: Khaleej Times