Maids cannot replace parents, say experts

Parents should stop leaving kids to housemaids all the time without monitoring them and also should find ways to keep children engaged during summer vacation, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department officials said.

“It’s important for parents to monitor children all the time — be it at home or when they move outside — to ensure their safety and security. Parents should know who their children’s friends are and other persons they deal with,” Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) general counsel for family and children Amer Al Amiri said.

Al Amiri noted that the Children’s Rights Act provides for basic rights to children including good health, safety and security and proper guidance.

“The law also prohibits abusing or mistreating children and exposing the child’s mental, psychological, physical or moral well-being to danger,” said Al Amiri, adding parents reported for mistreating children are always prosecuted.

Dr Salah Khamis Al Junaibi, director of corporate communication and international cooperation department at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said parents should not make children redundant during the summer holidays.

“Many children are found to be idle during the summer holiday which is not good. Parents should make them busy by doing activities like yoga, swimming, horse riding or go for summer camps to avoid the redundancy,” he said.

Al Junaibi noted that children, especially teens, lacking ideas on what to do during holidays can end up joining bad peer groups, which pose threat to their safety and security.

Al Junaibi said the department always sends out awareness messages to parents on the need to protect and safeguard their children, and not leave them home alone.

He said the department also uses short educational films on their social media sites and television to educate children about their security and safety, stranger danger, bad groups and bad habits and misuse of social media.