Tag Archives: schools in Dubai

The school lockdown drill

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Circles in the Sand

“Mummy! There’s going to be actors playing terrorists in school tomorrow!” said my older son, the excitement chipping away at the edges of his voice. Goodness, I said, my brows knitting together. I knew there was a travelling theatre coming … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Family, Parenting, School, UAE | Tagged lockdown drill, lockdown drills in Dubai schools, lockdown practice in UAE schools, schools in Dubai, security measures in Dubai schools | 1 Comment

Inside a 9-year-old’s imagination

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Circles in the Sand

Son1 attends an International Baccalaureate (IB) World Continuum School. I have no idea what the ‘world continuum’ bit means, but I do know that there are students enrolled from more than 80 different nationalities, and the importance of diversity and … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Family, Parenting, School | Tagged children learning oral presentation skills, children's imagination, IB curriculum, IB curriculum school in Dubai, international schools in Dubai, schools in Dubai | 2 Comments

School narcolepsy

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Circles in the Sand

So from the high that was Amsterdam, comes the bump of real life, and dealing with a problem that presented itself just before half-term. You know something’s not right when you get a call from school asking you to pop … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Family, Parenting, School | Tagged child resisting sleep, children and bedtime, children who won't go to bed, early school start in Dubai, putting children to bed, schools in Dubai | 9 Comments

Descending into password hell

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Circles in the Sand

“We’re going to change the way we talk to you,” the school announced by email. A parent portal that mums can access via a log-in password was launched last November, comprising diary dates and all the information needed to ensure … Continue reading →

Posted in Dubai, Expat | Tagged always forgetting passwords, Internet frustrations, modern-day problems, online password hell, password hell, passwords, schools in Dubai, technology frustrations | 6 Comments

Why kids LOVE the lunar calendar

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Circles in the Sand

Despite the fact the two-month summer holiday is hurtling towards us like a steam train, Son 2 is now on half term. With only 15 school days left until the end of term, springing a half-term holiday on us now … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Parenting, School | Tagged Dubai days off school, Dubai school calendar, Dubai school holidays, expat children, living in a Muslim country, lunar calendar, Muslim festivals, schools in Dubai, schools in the Middle East, UAE public holidays | 9 Comments

The homework battle lines

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Circles in the Sand

I dread it each weekend, I really do – knowing that my 7-year-old has three sets of homework due the next day and that the only way it’ll get done is by brow-beating him into it, breathing down his neck … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Dubai, Expat, Family, Parenting, School | Tagged boys and homework, expat education, homework, schools in Dubai, small children doing homework | 18 Comments

The transition from work to mummydom

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Circles in the Sand

I’ve come to the conclusion that never mind massages and spa treatments, what I really need after work and before going head first into a long weekend with two small boys is a decompression chamber. Maybe it’s just me, but … Continue reading →