that they could afford to have a servant back home in their own countries.
But I think the point that sevillon is trying to make (if I understand him correctly -- and he can correct me if I am wrong) is that there are many families here where the parents (mothers AND fathers) don't seem to be very present in their children's lives, and that the kids end up being essentially raised by the hired help instead of mom and dad.
I DO think that things are changing in Qatar, and many more women ARE working mothers, and so they aren't just sleeping or shopping while someone else looks after their children. So you're right on that point.
But let's be frank: it is not uncommon to see local kids running around wild outside and their parents are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is some poor, impotent person from the Third World whose job it is to 'take care of them' and follow them around. They have no real authority, the kids don't respect them or listen to them the way they should (and whose fault is that? mom and dad's), and onlookers are left thinking "what a bunch of rude ingrates...".
I know you can find a**hole kids everywhere (there are loads in my country, God knows!), but for those of us who grew up not as financially privileged as most of you Qataris, the bad behavior here just kind of smacks us as being the product of poor upbringing.
It's great that your family leaves the kids with a grandmother AND a khadama, because I agree that being around a responsible family member is invaluable. But certainly not everyone does that. And grandma, being 50-60-70 years old, certainly can't be expected to supervise the kids and go everywhere with them (to the Jungle Zone, etc.).
Bottom line, I think, is that kids have to be taught to respect ANY adult who is in charge of taking care of them -- mom, dad, nanny, teachers, neighbors, whoever. And that adult needs to be trusted to have the judgement and given the authority to handle situations that will arise if mom and dad aren't around to do it themselves. If this happens, then the kids get a consistent message and (hopefully) a decent upbringing.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
that they could afford to have a servant back home in their own countries.
But I think the point that sevillon is trying to make (if I understand him correctly -- and he can correct me if I am wrong) is that there are many families here where the parents (mothers AND fathers) don't seem to be very present in their children's lives, and that the kids end up being essentially raised by the hired help instead of mom and dad.
I DO think that things are changing in Qatar, and many more women ARE working mothers, and so they aren't just sleeping or shopping while someone else looks after their children. So you're right on that point.
But let's be frank: it is not uncommon to see local kids running around wild outside and their parents are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is some poor, impotent person from the Third World whose job it is to 'take care of them' and follow them around. They have no real authority, the kids don't respect them or listen to them the way they should (and whose fault is that? mom and dad's), and onlookers are left thinking "what a bunch of rude ingrates...".
I know you can find a**hole kids everywhere (there are loads in my country, God knows!), but for those of us who grew up not as financially privileged as most of you Qataris, the bad behavior here just kind of smacks us as being the product of poor upbringing.
It's great that your family leaves the kids with a grandmother AND a khadama, because I agree that being around a responsible family member is invaluable. But certainly not everyone does that. And grandma, being 50-60-70 years old, certainly can't be expected to supervise the kids and go everywhere with them (to the Jungle Zone, etc.).
Bottom line, I think, is that kids have to be taught to respect ANY adult who is in charge of taking care of them -- mom, dad, nanny, teachers, neighbors, whoever. And that adult needs to be trusted to have the judgement and given the authority to handle situations that will arise if mom and dad aren't around to do it themselves. If this happens, then the kids get a consistent message and (hopefully) a decent upbringing.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou