For many families in the UAE, the first day of school means not only early wake-ups, preparing school uniforms, and lunchboxes. Some working parents also adjust their schedules by using annual leave or working from home to help their children settle into a routine.
Lamia Hisham, a resident of Dubai and mother of two children under ten, is an example of someone who planned her vacation around the start of the new academic year. She noted: 'No matter how happy I am about them returning to school, it scares me a little. After such a long summer break, I want to make sure that I am fully prepared for this, and that they are too.'
As soon as the summer holiday and school calendar dates were confirmed, Hisham applied for leave about a week before her children's expected return. She explained that a lot happens in the first few days: 'You try to restore their sleep schedule, make sure everything is ready, take them to school, and then watch them adapt when they come home.'
For her, the opportunity to take a break from work allows her to focus on this transitional period without trying to immediately combine morning school runs with office commutes.
Another Dubai resident, Hisham's friend, chose a different approach. Instead of taking a full week off, she decided to work from home during the first week of school. Marwa Al Amin said: 'I didn't necessarily want to take the whole vacation because work continues. Working from home gives me another option. I can keep working, but I don't have to worry about the time it takes to commute to the office after dropping off the kids.'
She added that eliminating the office commute from her morning routine gives her more flexibility if drop-off takes longer than expected, or if her children need extra attention in the first few days of school.
For Mohamed Ibrahim, a father of three, the days before the start of the school year can be stressful for parents as they try to transition the entire family from the slow pace of summer back to a structured routine. He believes that parents who choose leave or temporary adjustments to their work schedule should not be considered less effective at home or at work. Ibrahim emphasized: 'Taking a few days off doesn't mean you are less effective as a parent or an employee. Some parents simply prefer to reduce stress during this week to start the school year in a better state.'
These parents understand that adaptation is temporary. Once the school routines are established and the children get used to their schedule again, normal working conditions resume.