Family life can be hectic and exhausting, so the prospect of an extra pair of hands around the house can be tempting. Having another person to clean, cook or look after the children might not always come cheap, but at least it is readily available in the UAE and within reach for many, including expatriates who could only have dreamt of such support back home.
Family: The National cares
Last Updated: June 21st, 2011 UAE
Advice, activities and all things family related.
Family
This kind of service can revolutionise family life. "I now have the time and the energy to be with the kids, play, go swimming and so on, rather than just plodding through the daily chores," says Carly Jeffries, a mother in Abu Dhabi. "It also means I have the opportunity to keep fit and spend quality time with my husband."
There are a number of different options when it comes to home help. Some choose to hire a maid who will help with the housework and the children; others prefer to employ a professional nanny whose duties will revolve solely around childcare.
As the costs vary, so does the service. Sponsorship costs around Dh5,000, a medical card a further Dh300, and a monthly salary ranges from Dh800 to Dh2,000. Legally, you must provide one return trip home every two years. Sponsored maids usually live in quarters attached to your accommodation and they mainly come from India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. For a nanny, you can expect to pay from Dh1,500 a week and she will work around 50 hours a week.
It's not hard to see why many expatriates, particularly families, embrace the idea of some extra help. "Babysitting is the best bit," says Jen Simpson, a mother in Dubai who has hired a live-in maid. "Last night, David and I popped out for a swim when the kids were in bed. Other evenings, we spontaneously go out for dinner. I could never have done that back home in the UK. And the wonderful thing is that when I go out, I don't need to leave any instructions; our maid Rose knows our routine and the needs of the kids, so it's very easy."
For some mothers, domestic help enables them to keep their careers on track. "Having a nanny has meant I can go back to work with the minimum of disruption to my daughter and myself," says Ana Walsh, of Dubai. "If I were still in Spain, my daughter would have been in a nursery from nine months, which is much more complicated than having a nanny at home. It doesn't matter if she has a temperature or the car breaks down, our nanny can still look after her."
Inevitably, it's not all sunshine and roses, and teething problems may occur. To get off on a good footing, it's best to set ground rules from day one so everyone knows where they stand and no one is disappointed. "Communication is key and the family should make their expectations clear right from the beginning, so that there are no misunderstandings later on," advises Jana Valabikova, a representative at Nannies Incorporated (www.nanniesinc.com), an agency with offices in Dubai, London and Paris and which places experienced professional nannies and maternity nurses around the world.
"It is important that the family is clear on what they want - whether they need a carer to follow instructions or they want a proactive sole-charge nanny who will be able to advise and offer guidance on childcare issues as well," she says.
Sometimes problems occur despite the best intentions. "Many families make the mistake of asking nannies to start on a long trial basis without a visa and the nannies feel insecure about their futures and start looking for other jobs," explains Julia Lutsenko, manager at Nannies Dubai (www.nanniesdubai.com).
To prevent this happening, she suggests: "Always ensure that legal aspects are dealt with promptly, such as visas and medical tests, and make sure that you treat your nannies with the dignity and respect they deserve. After all, they are caring for your children."
Although it might feel odd having a stranger in your house, many families adjust quickly. "We've had a live-in maid since I gave birth to our daughter," says Ros Porter, of Dubai.
"She's brilliant and takes great care of our baby. We see her as an au pair rather than a full-time slave, which is how many people see their maids here. If you want the best care for your child, you should treat your maid like a human being and not expect her to work hours you wouldn't expect someone to work in your own country."
This is a key point: everyone needs some free time.
"A common mistake is to expect the nanny to immerse herself completely in the family life and to be available non-stop," says Valabikova.
"Families need to maintain a friendly and honest yet professional relationship with their nanny. This means the nanny should not be taken for granted and her basic rights as an employee should be respected."
Indeed, if you want a successful outcome, you should consider the needs of your home help as well as your own. If she is new in the country, she won't know anybody and may get lonely and homesick. Take the time to talk to her every day, help her to make friends and take her out with you.
On the legal side of things, you should be aware that hiring a domestic helper on a casual basis could land you in hot water. You can be fined Dh50,000 for employing a worker who is not sponsored by you, or is on a visit visa, or who is paid on a cash-in-hand basis. The person you hire could be fined Dh100,000 and face the possibility of imprisonment.
Most families have good, happy experiences with their maids and nannies, particularly when they hire through professional channels. The ideal scenario is when your live-in help really becomes part of the family. "When my son, Ben, drew his family tree at school last week, Rose was there too, it was very sweet," says Simpson.
As Valabikova puts it: "A happy nanny means happy children."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
