Sending children off to school for the first time can cause most parents to feel nervous in any given year. Throw the pandemic into the mix and the situation becomes fraught with anxiety and stress for some.
Families with children returning to school will be familiar with reduced class sizes, social distancing, masks, temperature checks and remote learning, but the Covid-19 classroom could be a confronting space for newbies.
Rizwan Hassan’s son, Rayyan, 3, will begin his education at The Oxford School in Dubai. Rayyan was previously home-schooled, as his parents chose not to send him to nursery.
“The whole dynamic of schooling has changed, and we’ve been told by the school that if there is a surge in cases at the school, or in the UAE, the whole scenario can change again," Hassan says. "The school will go online to control it. We don’t feel prepared for that situation, so I’m a bit anxious.”
Rayyan has also become used to spending a lot of time with his parents at home because Hassan has been working remotely since last March.
“We don’t know how Covid-19 may affect children, so we try to keep social contact to a minimum,” Hassan says. “He’s my first child and he’s starting school, so it’s a mixed bag of emotions.”
Rayyan has been taught to sanitise his hands regularly, and while it’s not compulsory for children younger than 6 to don a mask, Rayyan will be wearing his. One silver lining is that while his parents may be riddled with stress, Rayyan cannot wait to start school. “He is very excited. He wants to win trophies,” Hassan says.
Shazia Naseer, Hassan’s wife, is also feeling the sting of change as her eldest prepares to start school and her husband returns to work at the American University of Sharjah.
Teachers are doing an amazing job. I’m confident our school is prepared
Nikki Steele Osborne
While Hassan and Naseer try to wrap their heads around their new situation, the Osbornes are keenly feeling separation anxiety. Nikki Steele Osborne’s son, Archie, 4, will begin school at the Gems American Academy, where his father works as a teacher.
“It’s an emotional time,” says Scottish-born Osborne who stayed at home to look after her only son. “The idea of Archie or my husband getting sick terrifies me as we’re overseas and away from family, [even though] one of the reasons we moved to the UAE from Montenegro last year was for the healthcare system.”
Osborne, a life coach, hasn’t seen her family in the UK for three years. Her husband is American. She says wearing a mask and hand-sanitising has become the norm for her family.
“If you’re prepared to leave home and go to a supermarket, there’s a risk. From a mental health perspective, I believe kids should be with their peers and out of the house. They also get to enjoy the school activities. Teachers are doing an amazing job. I’m confident our school is prepared.”
Parent coach and mother Lisa Sherrington-Boyd, affectionately known as The Potty Queen, urges concerned parents to try not to project their anxiety on to children.
“We need to look at our own emotional regulation. Maintaining a relaxed and positive attitude will be key to help alleviate any anxiety, and I think it’s important to trust our school teams. They will be doing everything they can to make sure the children are safe, happy and achieve their potential.”
Sherrington-Boyd says starting school is a big deal for young children who have previously been home-schooled. “Parents should try not to get into complicated conversations with their children. Keep calm. Keep it simple. We also need to be realistic as this is an unusual time.”
Families can work with first-time pupils on independence skills over the next week and focus on the basics. “Make sure lunch boxes and water bottles open easily and school bags are size-appropriate. Work on things such as peeling a banana and using cutlery. We’re looking for a ‘can-do’ attitude. It’s important that kids see themselves as problem-solvers as they start school,” says Sherrington-Boyd.
One positive outlook is to remember that classrooms provide a social environment, which is beneficial for children.
Twins Vihaan and Avyaan Behura, 4, are preparing to start at The Apple International Community School in Dubai.
“We all have to face the reality of Covid-19, and online classes are not for kids of their age,” says their father, Biswajeet Behura. “We have trained them to social distance, and they always wear their masks. It’s become routine.”
Dipti Bhatt has “mixed emotions” about her daughter Kiara, 4, starting at Safa British School. Bhatt, who gave up her job to look after Kiara, an only child, enrolled her in a nursery last November, when class numbers were reduced and bubbles imposed. Even so, Bhatt would give Kiara a shower every day after she got home.
“That was me taking extra precautions,” says Bhatt, who has been updated by the school that a mask will be compulsory for all pupils. “I did hope she would not have to wear one in school, even though she wears a mask if we go to a mall.”
Dr Mahassen Dham Jallad, a paediatrician at Saudi German Clinic, advises parents to accept that times have changed, and that getting children ready for school involves more than simply shopping for classroom supplies and new clothes. Health and safety are now the biggest concerns, Jallad says.
“For those parents who are apprehensive about sending their child to school in person, know that there are plenty of steps we can take to ensure children are protected.”
Here are some of Jallad's top tips
- Teach your child how to thoroughly wash and sanitise their hands. Hands should be washed with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Parents of young children can teach them hand-washing songs such as Happy Birthday or The Alphabet Song to time their task.
- Teach them to always keep their masks on correctly, as instructed.
- Discourage the sharing and trading of food with other children. To avoid this, ensure their lunch boxes are filled with snacks they enjoy.
- Remind them to always respect the rules of social distancing.
- Consider driving your child to school instead of sending them on the bus, if possible.
- Outdoor after-school activities are a safe way to keep the family active, especially as the weather improves. This will have a positive impact on their mental and physical health.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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Company%20Profile
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
SPECS
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
