A family-friendly culture, plenty of outdoorsy activities and affordable live-in help are just some of the reasons why the capital is cool for families.
Family entertainment
Though Abu Dhabi lacks the volume of activities on offer up the road in Dubai, there’s still plenty to do. Just about every mall and shopping centre in town boasts at least one play area or arcade packed full with toys, rides and games for kids of all ages. During summer, try bowling or ice skating, and the Summer in Abu Dhabi exhibition is a fabulous way to conquer those sticky afternoons. Once temperatures drop, you’ll want to take your kids to the many parks and playgrounds that dot the island. You’ll find some great ones along the Corniche, plus an excellent public beach with coffee and ice cream shops.
Schools
To find a school place you’ll have to do your homework and make arrangements early. Very early. If you have your heart set on one in particular, get your name down by March at the latest for a September start. Popular schools and nurseries fill up quick.
Culture
In many ways, living in Abu Dhabi is quite similar to living in any other modern city – supermarkets stock most Western fare, and branches of Starbucks abound. For all the similarities, though, there are a few differences that parents should be aware of. The most important is that, because Arab culture tends to be very kid-friendly, many people have no qualms about approaching or talking to unfamiliar children. While men in Western countries often shun children they don’t know for fear of seeming perverse, many Arab men would find nothing unusual about picking up a child they don’t know, patting them on the head, shaking their hands, or giving them sweets. There’s nothing creepy or weird about it; they’re really just being friendly, and if you seem bothered, people are just as quick to read your body language and back off.
Working mothers
Most of Abu Dhabi society seems to centre around the nuclear family; single parents are not the norm, and many mums have the financial freedom to stay at home or work part time. If you do plan to work full time, you’ll probably need to hire a nanny; the odds are your children will finish school before your work day is done. Just about every school in town is always looking for assistants, supply teachers and office help, though part-time wages are often quite pitiful. The schools and nurseries that do offer after-school programmes don’t usually remain open later than 4pm or 5pm, but you can arrange for someone to collect your kids, bring them home, and look after them until you arrive.
Making friends
One of the best parts of living in Abu Dhabi is the large expat community – everyone is far from home and looking to make friends. If your kids are in school, approach the parents of your kids’ classmates; play dates are an excellent way to kill those long hours after school and before dinner time. Mothers (and fathers) of young kids should check out Abu Dhabi Mums (www.abudhabimums.ae). This social group is famous for weekly playgroups, and has saved the sanity of more than one new mother to move to the capital.
Living with the language
While Arabic is the national language of the UAE, there will be very few instances in which you’ll need to know it. Just about every taxi driver, waiter, and shop assistant will speak enough English for you to get by, though you may need to cultivate your facial expressions – gestures and vocal inflection count as much as words in this town. You might consider jotting down a few phrases for your visits to a public playground. A couple of niceties may help playtime go more smoothly.
From the horse’s mouth
Here’s what two expat mums had to say about family life in the capital
•Melbourne natives Justin and Anita O’Shea, parents of Darcey, five, Sareena, two and James, six months.
‘I love the culture and the people, the support and the peaceful, safe society. We’re fortunate to have made lifelong friends in a short time. Being expats we help each other, knowing we’ve all left our families back home. We’ve developed a network we can rely on not only when times are tough and lonely – like just after giving birth – but also to share the good times. When we first arrived we were overwhelmed by the hospitality, particularly towards the children. We were not used to people coming up and touching, cuddling, and taking photos of the children. We soon realised that these approaches stem from a cultural focus on children and family and are merely an expression of kindness. There were also some difficult times arising from my Indian heritage. I’m often referred to as the “maid” or “nanny” quite recklessly by strangers, but I’ve toughened up now.’
•JJ and Katalÿne De Korte of Amsterdam, parents of Pippi, four, and Kate, 10 months
‘We love living in Abu Dhabi. It’s so child-focused here and everyone is kind and patient. You don’t feel embarrassed when you’re in a restaurant and your children are misbehaving. Kate has gotten so used to people being friendly towards her that when we were in the Netherlands this summer, she was upset that no one was paying any attention to her. The only thing lacking is afterschool care. It’s hard to find any place that stays open late enough for me to have a full-time job. There are lots of facilities for children, like playgrounds, family parks and the play areas in the malls. With the exception of the two hottest summer months, we spend all day outside, either at the beach, hiking or just enjoying nature. We couldn’t do that back in the Netherlands because if it wasn’t raining, it was too crowded; going to the beach meant spending the day in a traffic jam. We’d never known the concept of an empty beach until we came here. The space, the warmth, the nice schools. It’s so much better for the children.’
