The businesses, services and apps that make life with kids in the desert city a million miles better!
Mama life in Dubai. Yes, we know what most people think, that we are all so lucky because we have help (and that’s true for the majority of us but then again most of us don’t have family here), that we are all ladies who lunch or manicure or shop all day (errr, we wish!) and that life is generally pretty easy in our desert city. So while we’re really lucky to live in this vibrant metropolis, we’re still mums trying to do the very best for our kids, juggling a million things, forgetting school dress-up days and wondering how to make that 2pm meeting while also picking the munchkins up from playdates or school. Our trick? Finding those little ways to make life easier on a daily basis, and here are our top six
Hooray for this fabulous car service (because not all mamas in Dubai have a driver!) that makes scheduling a ride with little ones in tow super easy. Once you’ve downloaded the app to your phone, simply tap to book a car to whisk you and your kiddo to your destination, either straight away or at a designated time and pay in cash, credit card or Careem credits – too easy!
And here’s the best part. As safety-conscious parents, the thought of braving a taxi journey without a car seat is enough to get us sweating, but the Careem Kids service has you covered by providing dedicated cars that come pre-installed with a child seat (so no faffing trying to carry/clip in and all that jazz). Now there is only one seat per car, but you can bring your own and the lovely captains (drivers!) will help you install it. This service has been an absolute saviour when we’ve been stuck in a meeting and have needed to send a helper to collect the kids, or when the husband has had a prang in the car. A mama must have.
If, like me, you have piles of pictures still waiting to be hung, shelves you want moved and general DIY stuff that the husband keeps promising to get done, then the Handy Scandy (aka Bjorn – yes, he’s Swedish) is the chap to call. With super Swedish efficiency, he’ll arrive at your home at whatever time you agree and proceed to fix up anything you need, from those pesky pictures to all that snagging you’ve never got round to sorting with zero fuss and mega speed (seriously, in 60 minutes, you’ll have achieved what el hubbo couldn’t do in the 6 months you’ve lived in your home). And that eliminates all that nagging and trips to the hardware store at weekends, too – perfect!
AED 50 call out fee and AED 200 per hour (and worth every Dirham!)
www.facebook.com/scandinavianhandyman
Read more: The Best ‘At Home’ Services in Dubai
You’re late for the school pick up, there’s dry cleaning to be sorted and delivered plus a double duvet that met with a little kiddo accident to get laundered… STRESS! Let the Washmen do it for you. These guys will pick up everything from clothes to rugs, get it clean and deliver it back to you (you just need to spend a minimum of AED 49). And they’ll follow all your important instructions so that super soft suede skirt won’t return as a shammy leather.
There’s also an ‘All You Can Wash’ bag option with a flat rate of AED 79 (pressing not included), which can help take the load off (pardon the pun) at home. Oh, and if you’re a first time user, you’ll get a promo code on your inaugural clean!
Read more: Enjoy the Spoils, But Don’t Get Spoilt!
Sometimes we do need a bit of pampering, but in true mama-style we’ve found a place that can do it quickly and brilliantly, while multi-tasking, too! For those days when you barely have time for a shower or when you’ve got to scrub up well for date night, Be Bar Blow Dry Bar is the place to go. A gorgeous space hidden behind a beautiful turquoise door on Jumeirah Beach Road just near Umm Al Sheif Street, the team at Be Bar will get your hair washed and blow-dried to perfection in just a few minutes while also offering an express mani, eyebrow shaping and a really good cup of coffee to boot. And your style will last a couple of days so you’re actually saving time too (honestly).
Read more: 5 Hair Hacks You Need to Know
Who has time to navigate the aisles of a supermarket when there are children to pick up/drop off/entertain?! Ok so we might love a little solo visit to the shops (seriously, just to be able to choose bread in peace can feel like a mini holiday), with the whole gang of kids in tow? Not so much!
Well with the click of a button or two you can do all of your grocery shopping online – from Carrefour for all those bulky items to organic veggie boxes, Choithrams for daily staples and pork items (if that’s your thing) – even wine (come on, some evenings just call for a glass after the chaos of bedtime) is available for delivery via Le Clos or Centaurus International. Want to know where you can shop? Read More: The Best Grocery Delivery Options In Dubai – now sit back and relax (for 2 minutes..).
Rugs covered in baby spit-up? Dealing with mattresses that have been peed on one too many times or had a 24 hour vomit bug rage through the house? (forgive the grossness but we’re all mamas here…).
Stop trying to tackle it all yourself with antibac spray and a gazillion paper towels and call The Healthy Home who offer deep cleaning and sanitation services for items in your home including mattresses, baby cots, upholstery, sofas, carpets, curtains, play rooms, and AC Ducts. After hearing that there are two million dust mites in the average mattress (ewwww!), we especially like the sound of the mattress cleaning service, which involves a two-step step process to clean the mattress, pillows and duvet using medical-grade technology to get rid of all impurities and nasties. YAY!
www.thehealthyhome.me
