Introduction Of UAE
As thousands of students across the UAE return to school, many parents are benefiting from flexible work hours or the option to work from home. This newfound flexibility has allowed parents to ease into the school week while creating memorable experiences with their children.
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For Dubai resident Luis Carreno, the start of the school year was an opportunity to spend precious moments with his family. “My elder daughter Jamilah started Year 1, and my younger daughter Halime began Foundation Stage 2 today,” Luis shared. “It was great to be able to drive them to school and drop them off. The start of the year is always exciting.”
As a Jiu-Jitsu coach for a government entity, Luis was grateful for the time off. “My academy gave me the morning off to drop the children at school,” he said. “It gave me time to have a leisurely morning with the girls. I joined work in the afternoon, so my wife did the pickup on her own.”
On Thursday, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) announced that government employees would be granted flexible working hours to drop off their children on Monday. Parents with children in nursery and kindergarten could avail themselves of this flexibility for the entire week.
Balancing Work and Family Time
In Abu Dhabi, Salam A., who works for a federal government entity, was given the option to work from home for the entire week. “Our company has given employees with children in kindergarten the flexibility to work from home so that they can coordinate school drop-offs,” Salam said, speaking to Khaleej Times. “This has been extremely helpful because my younger daughter starts school this year.”
Salam enjoyed taking his 3-year-old daughter Ilham to school on Monday. “The first week, she has a staggered start,” he explained. “So on Monday and Tuesday, she spends only an hour in school, and for the rest of the week, she goes to school for three hours. Since the first week is just settling in, there is no bus service.”
After the short school day, Salam and his wife took Ilham to her favorite restaurant for a meal. “She was very happy, especially because she had a bag with her treasured cartoon character. The real challenge will begin next week when she realizes that she has to do this for several hours every day,” he added.
A New Approach to Work-Life Balance
The UAE’s approach to flexible working hours reflects the nation’s understanding of the importance of family life and the challenges parents face during the school transition period. Allowing parents the opportunity to work from home or adjust their schedules not only reduces stress but also enhances work-life balance.
As more parents share similar stories of support from their employers, it’s clear that this shift toward flexibility is helping to create a smoother, more enjoyable back-to-school experience for families across the UAE.
