When it comes to parenting there are few absulutes, one of them ensuring that the safety of our children is never compromised. I think we all agree on that.

But it is easy for me to critise parents who don't buckle their kids in the appropiate seats. If I find out that my car seat is not safe enough, no problem, I go straight to mothercare or whatever and buy another one, I can afford it. But I know a few families in Doha that have to sacrifice so much to stay together and quite simply are not as lucky as me. They really struggle, so who am I to judge their parenting just because they carry their babies on their laps when travelling in a car?

The government does absolutely nothing to implement carseat laws for children. Nor it provides with financial help to families that strugle with their little incomes, like it happens in most developed countries where you get an allowance from the government if the family's salary is proved to be too low.

Also you can see lots of wealthy qataries that have their children moving freely inside their suvs. Whilst that's a sight that makes me really sick...are these parents aware of the dangers? Has the traffic department done anything to inform the public about driving safety and the importance of seats for small children? I don't think so.

Lets not accuse them of being lousy parents. We don't know. THink of what it was like when you were a child...
Were you buckled into a car seat? No. But I assume you still travelled in a car. Your parents were not bad nor were careless about your safety. They just didn't know about the dangers and of course, they didn't have the chance to buy a safe seat for you (they did not exist) .