As schools in the UAE prepare to break up for the year, concerns around screen time are again front and centre for parents as they plan a long summer of entertainment for their children.
While much of the media rhetoric focuses on demonising devices, psychologists and educators are calling for a more balanced and informed approach that prioritises connection and the realities of modern childhood.
In a new UAE-wide survey by Gen X DXB, a long-running youth community brand, 70 per cent of parents reported that children aged nine to 14 spend most of their free time on screens. Nearly half said there are not enough age-appropriate spaces for this group. This is an age group that, as founder Lorna Bancroft put it, is “too old for soft play but too young to hang out unsupervised”.
“There’s a huge gap in the UAE for this age group,” said Ms Bancroft.
While many media reports and discussions around the subject focus on increased anxiety and loneliness among young people stemming from the overuse of digital devices, experts The National spoke to said banning screens outright is not the solution – and may do more harm than good.
Infrastructure and supervision
Victoria McKeown, a neurodiversity specialist who supports families and schools across the UAE, cautioned against fear-based narratives. “One of my biggest things about it is a lot of what we see … is all about preying on parents and scaring parents and fear mongering,” she told The National. “When the uncomfortable truth is the fact that the real issue is that parents just aren't educated enough on the matter or supervise their children in using screens.”
Ms McKeown emphasised that “vilifying screens is really abdicating society of the whole responsibility”. Instead, screen time should be understood in the same way that society once treated public spaces where teenagers gathered, with some places being more risky than others, depending on the infrastructure and supervision.
“It’s like a bad place in the town, right? Is it just because children go to that bad place that it's a problem? Or is it the core infrastructure in that area, the fact that that area isn't properly policed, the fact that it's the parents letting their children out until X hour at night and not knowing where they are?”
Regulating usage
Dr Clarice Mendonca-King, a clinical neuropsychologist at MapleTree Psychotherapy Centre in Dubai, agreed that the conversation is more complex than it is often portrayed. “We live in a world where we cannot – and perhaps should not – focus on limiting screen time,” she said. “We depend on it for work, for connection, for chores, for entertainment. Even if we don’t use our devices, the culture around us is shaped by it … So I find it more reasonable and effective to ‘regulate’ our usage of media, manage it better.”
According to Dr Mendonca-King, what is needed is “regulated screen time”, which she described as involving “a bit of discipline, reflection, and support … being able to first critically analyse your usage of screens and devices”. How much you as a parent depend on them, how it makes you feel, what it is replacing and what can replace it.
“Then determine how this aligns or contradicts with your goals and needs, and make a decision about how to best use the virtual world,” she added.
Connection over control
Children rely on screens to fulfil emotional needs, particularly those who are neurodivergent, added Ms McKeown, a former educator who now works full-time with many autistic and ADHD children and adults. “The environment that children are going into during school is so, so overwhelming for them and not meeting their needs, that when they come home, their nervous system is in such chronic dysregulation that they just want to hide,” she said. “They want to hide in their bedrooms. They want to interact minimally … they need something to distract them.”
Ms McKeown works with one teenager in Dubai who spends hours playing pilot simulator games, but his heavy usage does not concern her. “His screen is up and whatever he was doing on the screen is [visible] while he's talking to me. He's not trying to hide anything. He doesn't keep playing with the keyboard when I'm talking to him. He gives me his full attention. The games he plays are all around flying and piloting … and that’s actually something he's very personally interested in.”
In contrast, she described working with a child whose personality drastically changes when denied screen access. “The parents have had to literally take devices out of the house and put them in other locations, like their workplaces, because if there's any device in the house, he will try and find it … That is an addiction.”
Ms McKeown is keen to emphasise the distinction between addiction and heavy screen usage. “You can use screens quite heavily and still not be addicted to them,” she said. “I think heavy use of screens is probably done because those children don't have alternatives that are attractive to them.”
Alternative entertainment in the UAE
That is where structured, real-world alternatives come in. Gen X DXB, for example, runs weekly events in Dubai designed specifically for that nine to 14 age group, with karaoke brunches, team games and other activities that offer connection without devices. According to Bancroft, 88 per cent of parents surveyed in their latest report would welcome more such events.
Still, any attempt to reduce screen time must be done collaboratively, said Ms McKeown. “You can't just say to them, ‘Don't use your screen. I want you to go and do something else.’ You've actively got to do something else with them.”
Dr Mendonca-King said conflicts over screens also focus too much on the child’s behaviour in a negative way. “It’s the easy, obvious target,” she said. Instead, she advised shifting focus on to underlying needs and emotions – both the child’s and the parent’s. “What is your own relationship with screen time? What are your own struggles?” she said. “Practice what you preach, and work on your own self, too. Let your kids be witness.”
Ultimately, the experts agreed the goal should be to build stronger relationships between parents and children. “This isn’t about being anti-tech,” Ms McKeown said. “It’s about being pro-connection.”
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MATCH INFO
English Premiership semi-finals
Saracens 57
Wasps 33
Exeter Chiefs 36
Newcastle Falcons 5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The years Ramadan fell in May
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
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Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
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)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Honeymoonish
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A German university was a good fit for the family budget
Annual fees for the Technical University of Munich - £600
Shared rental accommodation per month depending on the location ranges between £200-600
The family had budgeted for food, books, travel, living expenses - £20,000 annually
Overall costs in Germany are lower than the family estimated
As proof that the student has the ability to take care of expenses, international students must open a blocked account with about £8,640
Students are permitted to withdraw £720 per month
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More on animal trafficking
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Starfield
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
