5 Reasons Why It’s Easier Being a Mum in Dubai

There’s the blistering heat, the bad-hair-inducing humidity, and the ever-present danger of surprise sand storms. There’s the reckless driving, costly school system, and the thousands of miles we spend away from family and friends while we raise our kids.

Sure, there are plenty of unique challenges we face as expat moms living in Dubai, but there are also some pretty awesome perks of desert living. Here are five reasons why it’s better to be a mom in Dubai.

Cultivating the art of “me-time”

It’s not hard to understand why having help at home is prevalent in the UAE. Having a live-in nanny in the US would run you, on average, $34,000/year. The average in Dubai? $6,500/year. Not being bogged down with laundry, dishes, and cooking can free your time to focus on what matters most to you – whether it’s playing with your kids, holding down a full-time job without breaking the bank, or even starting up your own business. The flexibility we enjoy allows us to chase after our heart’s desires.

Exercising your travel bug

Speaking of heart’s desires, with salaries being generally higher than in our home countries coupled with tax-free living, we have more financial flexibility to spend our hard earned dirhams on faraway travel. Whether it’s exploring a Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, sailing in a dhow down the sun-soaked Persian Gulf or tasting local olive oil in Lebanon, we spend our years as expats giving our travel bugs a well-earned workout.

Ladies first

Have you ever been standing in line, arms full of baby and baby paraphernalia, and been asked to move to the front of the line? On a recent visit to the Al Ain Zoo, I was tickled pink to see a sign that prominently instructed all visitors to “give priority to ladies.” I don’t know about you, but this would never happen in my home country where chivalry is (mostly) dead. Women, and mothers in particular, enjoy unique respect and priority in terms of service in the UAE.

A veritable Groundhog’s Day

You wake up, but you don’t have to look out the window anymore. Aside from the one, maybe two days of rain every year, every day is sunny and either warm or quite warm. Life in Dubai is predictable. Forget about the umbrellas, wellies, wool coats, and mittens. Moms have to shop for one season (summer) and can forget about all the rest.

The United Nations of Dubai

The diversity our kids are exposed to in Dubai is pretty amazing. Their classmates form a veritable United Nations, hailing from all corners of the map. They’ve simply stopping seeing the “other” because it’s more common than not: different languages, clothing, and skin colors abound. Exposing our kids to such diversity is a priceless gift, one that they’ll carry for a lifetime.