Navigating parenthood can be a whirlwind at the best of times. But smartphones have emerged as a useful tool to streamline daily routines, foster growth and enhance the overall parenting experience.
Here are seven UAE-founded apps that aim to help.
Hoopla
For: Promoting mental wellness
Founded by Jacqueline Perrottet, a mother of two girls aged five and seven, Hoopla provides a resource for parents to promote mental wellness in children aged three to eight. The platform offers interactive and engaging activities, from meditation and mindfulness exercises to songs and games. Each science-backed activity lasts less than five minutes and is linked to a specific purpose – from calming tantrums to improving sleep and fostering a strong parent-child bond. The app offers a seven-day free trial. After that, subscription costs Dh44.99 monthly or Dh149.99 annually.
Verity
For: Financial literacy, money management
Verity allows parents to manage their children's allowances, and consequently teach them how to budget. Children are issued Visa prepaid credit cards, powered by Mashreq Bank, which are linked to the application managed by an adult. Parents can transfer money to their children's cards, set spending limits and track purchases. Transferring allowances can also be automated for more convenience. Parents can also set chores and tasks that the children can earn money from by completing. The app is free to download and use on both iOS and Android devices.
Skiply
For: School-related payments
Powered by RAKBank, this app serves as a digital platform for parents to pay school fees and expenses using any bank card. The service is only available to schools that are registered to the app. The app is free to download and use on both iOS and Android.
Kidzapp
For: Leisure and activities
Kidzapp is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Karim Ghassan and Nora Izzat. It’s a digital guide to all that is family-friendly in the UAE. It collates activities, venues, play areas, restaurants and events throughout the country, complete with deals, discounts, seasonal promotions and vouchers. It’s broken down into categories, such as animal fun, after-school activities and theme parks. It’s free to download on iOS and Android platforms.
Qidz
For: Leisure and activities
Five time-poor mums residing in Dubai who were looking to balance their family and work lives teamed up to create what they claim is “the only kids' activities app you need”. Qidz, which is free to download, has thousands of activities listed in and around the UAE and allows users to search by location, preferences and age group, as well as sharing their picks with friends, buy tickets and be notified of deals. Parents can also recommend venues to be listed.
Play: Date
For: Socialising
This interactive platform promises to build children's social circles, while also offering discounts and deals through partner companies, such as Kids HQ and SugarMoo. It was devised in Dubai, but is also available for download on iOS and Android in the UK and US for free. Through the app, users can choose where and when their children can play, and what their interests are, and then find a like-minded friend they can go on a play date with.
FirstCry UAE
For: Shopping
This free-to-download shopping app has everything from baby clothes to nappies and medical products available to buy. Delivery is often on the same or next day. New on the site are sections for wares from well-known children's boutiques and party supplies.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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