Indoor gym
Indoor gym
Indoor gym
Indoor gym

How to pick a UAE nursery and handle the separation process


Panna Munyal
  • English
  • Arabic

Managing the separation process

  • Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
  • Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
  • Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
  • If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
  • The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
  • Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
  • Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.  

Charlotte Borghesi makes a point of reading to her children every evening. As a parent, her concern has been to help them differentiate between words, such as "cat", "car", "bear" and "ball", hoping that they will come to recognise more words with each passing week. However, when the British mum-of-seven took over Children's Oasis Nursery two months ago, one of her teachers revealed a trick that would render the activity even more beneficial.

In the nursery, reading time is not static, given how squirmy little ones can get. Instead, if the group comes across a phrase such as "the red ball", the teacher encourages the kids to bring her another red object from the classroom, which she then identifies as "red fire engine" or "red flower" or "red pillow". Even those who are unable to immediately grasp the task at hand, learn by observing their friends. "And those, to me, are the two biggest advantages of sending your kids to a nursery from an early age – teachers who are highly qualified to make children more resourceful, and being part of a same-age community," Borghesi tells me.

With roots that go back 30 years, Children's Oasis is one of the oldest and most highly regarded nurseries in Dubai. It was the first in the Middle East to receive ISO certification and has one of the highest teacher-to-children ratios in the region. When its former owner decided to retire this year, it was all set to shut down – until Borghesi stepped in. "My younger kids go to school here, and the idea of sending them elsewhere, when I was so comfortable with and trusting of the staff and amenities here, was heartbreaking."  

After 20 years in the corporate world, Borghesi decided to take on a new challenge, although the original owner was reticent about selling at first; she would have prefered for the business to close down than for the quality to drop.

When I visit, I walk past a cavalcade of scooters, teeny wheelbarrows, a three-foot-high arched walkway, a mini-majlis, a mud kitchen and wet area "for messy play", and a recycling centre. And that's only the outside.

Construction corner and mini footbridge
Construction corner and mini footbridge

Within, each of the 11 classrooms resembles a treasure trove of playthings – with ball pits, climbing ropes, cuddly toys, blocks, books, crayons and various other child- and inner-child-friendly accoutrements. 

The classrooms are a veritable treasure trove of playthings
The classrooms are a veritable treasure trove of playthings

An indoor gym and two common play areas make up the rest of this 5,500-square-foot property.

Given the fees that schools in the UAE levy, I wonder just how necessary it is for the parents of a two-year-old to shell out the Dh15,000-per-term fee that tier-one nurseries such as Children's Oasis charge.

Learning about weights and balances
Learning about weights and balances

"It's about letting them be their own characters in a group of other children, of giving them a voice from a young age," says headteacher Caitriona Ni Fhiannachta. "It's a huge confidence boost because they learn how to speak out in front of others, so their communication and language skills are enhanced.

"Some parents choose to keep their children at home until the age of five, but a nursery is set up to keep children entertained and stimulated. They learn to share, they learn turn-taking, they learn their Ps and Qs. The overall growth and development instilled in a nursery just cannot compare to that of a child who's kept at home, no matter how hands-on you are as a parent, or how many nannies or siblings the child might have."

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Read more: How to properly support your UAE nanny so she can support you

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Borghesi compares the skills learnt, especially the emotional intelligence (EQ) that develops when you’re part of a community, to the requirements of professional life. As the former general manager at the Mars group, she recalls how companies look for employees and leaders who have a well-developed IQ and EQ, but says that the latter often leaves much to be desired.

The school has recently assigned space for a herb garden
The school has recently assigned space for a herb garden

"People need to have empathy and listening skills to lead and get the best from a team. But EQ is something that develops from a super-young age. These first five years are called the formative years for a reason. It's not just about the academic, it's also about leadership, confidence, creativity, strategic thinking, the willingness to explore … these skills, once established, are with them for the rest of their lives," she says.

Numerous studies have explored the positive associations between edutainment activities and toys, and brain health, coordination and gross motoring skills among children. Borghesi points out that no matter how many things you buy your kids or how big a space you have, no home can provide the same resources as a nursery. "And children need a lot of stimulation and positive encouragement of their creativity. Schools have the capacity to offer this. And yet, to me, the most important thing a parent should look for when choosing a nursery is the quality of its staff, and the teacher-to-student ratio."

She cites another tool that the Oasis teachers employ, where they create learning opportunities even over lunch. "When my kids are home with the nanny, she puts food on the table, clears up after, sometimes even helps the younger ones to eat it, so they can finish up quickly and she can go about the rest of her chores. But here we encourage the students to fill their own plates, to select what they might want to eat at a particular time and to help clear up afterwards. This teaches them decision-making, curiosity, patience and cleanliness."  

Fhiannachta adds: "It is the job of a good teacher to know how to make everything a useful resource. It's like that all-too-common phenomenon, when a young child gets a nice, bulky present for their birthday – the latest toy, maybe – but they end up playing with the box. So it's not about the price tag, it's about how these resources are used: that box can be a treehouse, garage, hospital, umbrella or vet's clinic – even if they are treating dinosaurs. The staff are trained to get the best out of an empty box. And then we have the actual toys, blocks, tea sets, costumes, cars, cuddly bears – all of which are being used in multiple ways. Right from the act of separation, children are taught to be more independent, and distractions come in the form of imagination-building."

Every class has two qualified teachers and one or two assistants
Every class has two qualified teachers and one or two assistants

The "separation", when parents leave their toddlers in the nursery's care, is particularly difficult for children who are attending school for the first time, as well as those who are returning after a long summer break. Borghesi and Fhiannachta list a number of dos and don'ts to help make the transition easier.

The most important thing, according to them, is for parents to relax, safe in the knowledge that their child is going to have fun, and be loved and cared for in a secure environment.

She says that parents should inform the staff of their chosen nursery in advance of their child's likes and dislikes, so that if your kid enjoys playing with cars or trains or dolls, the teachers will make that available when they are coming in, to distract them.

If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers or ask them questions, make an appointment a few days before, not on the child's first day, when there's likely to be some crying and much confusion.

Remember, the longer you stay, the more upset the child can become. "Children are very clever. If they realise that the more they cry, the longer mum and dad will stay, they hold on to that and remember to use it," says Fhiannachta. Equally important, though, is that you don't make a sudden exit without saying goodbye. "This is a way to reassure them that you'll come back for them," she adds.

And finally, understand that every child is an individual; some might love the first day, but not the next. It's imperative to be patient, with the child and the teachers.

“As a parent, you want to feel that your child is the same as the others. It can be quite stressful if the rest of the kids are smiling, but yours is crying. This is completely normal. Each child has their own way, and they will adjust more easily if the parent is more relaxed. They sense our stress and worries,” says Borghesi.

Children are guided to park their own scooters
Children are guided to park their own scooters

 

In a similar vein, keep three don'ts in mind, too: don't give up after the first day or even the first week – children need time to settle; don't deliberately cut down the number of attendance days – this will only serve to increase the separation anxiety each time; and don't feel guilty about sending your child to a nursery.

"Not only are they going to have a whole lot of fun, they are also going to learn important life skills alongside," says Fhiannachta. 

____________________

Read more:

New competition to revive Emirati stories

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

Glossary of a stock market revolution

Reddit

A discussion website

Redditor

The users of Reddit

Robinhood

A smartphone app for buying and selling shares

Short seller

Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future

Short squeeze

Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting 

Naked short

An illegal practice  

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Huroob Ezterari

Director: Ahmed Moussa

Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed

Three stars

The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster

Price, base: Dh708,750

Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 374hp (total)

Torque: 570Nm (total)

Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km

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Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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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 
The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

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Specs

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Power: 659hp
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Price: On request

THE SPECS

Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6

Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm

Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km

Price: Dh375,000 

On sale: now 

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

Managing the separation process

  • Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
  • Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
  • Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
  • If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
  • The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
  • Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
  • Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.