UAE: When women consciously chose to stay-at-home

Top Stories

Supplied photo
Supplied photo

Dubai - Reena returned to India in 2007 and rejoined Ranbaxy, while her family grew.

By Nandini Sircar

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Sun 7 Mar 2021, 9:15 PM

Transitioning from a researcher to a homemaker was not easy for Reena Khan, who holds a doctorate in biochemistry. Leaving her illustrious career at a top Indian pharmaceutical company was a hard enough choice, she said.

“Initially, I spent two years at Ranbaxy Gurgaon. I then got an opportunity to present a research paper on atherosclerosis at Keystone Symposium in Colorado, USA, in 2005. They liked my work and I was then offered a post-doctoral fellowship at Wake Forest Medical Centre, Winston-Salem. I loved my life and work in the US. I even managed to get published in good research journals. Everything was perfect,” she said.


Reena returned to India in 2007 and rejoined Ranbaxy, while her family grew. “I was blessed with a son soon after I got married. I continued working after that for nearly seven years. But one day, when I got done early from work, I went to the crèche to pick up my little boy. I saw him crawling alone on the floor. That’s when it hit me that I probably needed to spend more time with him.”

As International Women’s day approaches it’s impossible not to wonder if there is anything more satisfying and nurturing than motherhood, and yet there are challenges working mothers face every day.


While Reena does admit that a high-powered job does give one a sense of purpose and financial comfort, it also entails long hours and often lengthy commutes. “After my husband bagged a job here in the UAE, I simultaneously got an opportunity at a research laboratory in Abu Dhabi, but consciously declined the offer. I had started realising that I needed to devote more to my family as my son was growing up. I had already approached the crossroads and decided on the role I would play as the mother of my son. Since then, I have been a happy housewife and at peace that I made that transition from ‘bench work to kitchen work’. Once my son grows up, perhaps a couple of years more… he is already in Year 8 now, I’d want to pursue my research again. ”

Palestinian expat Mays Alalem, a design engineer and mother of two school-going kids, also feels her decision to stay at home worthwhile. “I studied mechatronics engineering at the University of Jordan and later procured a diploma in engineering design in Edmonton Alberta. I also worked as a design engineer for three years in Alberta. Juggling between home, children and work were difficult but I was managing well. But after we moved to Dubai, I took a step back and have been caring for my children. I do wish to get back to my profession at some point.”

She wants to make any career choices judiciously bearing in mind the best interest of her family. “Striking that perfect work-life balance is a challenge. I want a kind of work that provides me with the flexibility to also live life and care for people who matter to me. Therefore, rethinking how to prioritise my career along with other parts of my life is crucial for me,” she said.

Meanwhile, Karthinka S. Das believes having a parent at home extends beyond the early years of a child’s life and she was never in a dilemma of what to do with her life after she had her baby. “I was clear in my head that I wanted to be with my baby, especially in the early years of her life. I loved my job but as far as my child is concerned, that’s a compromise I never wanted to make. I had complete clarity in my head that I didn’t want to hand over my child to be raised by a nanny. I know different people approach these things differently, but I feel being a stay-at-home mom is like a full-time job”, said Karthika.a

Despite her flourishing career as a software engineer, Karthika is happy playing with her three-year-old Gauri. “Being at home helps me plan and organise activities and prepare a routine for both me and my child. I cherish the precious moments with my little one. I also love computer programming and try to keep myself abreast with the professional aspect of things, I pursue it whenever I can. But it is undoubtedly rewarding to be a full-time mother as nothing is more fulfilling than knowing you’re with your child every step of the way.”

nandini@khaleejtimes.com


More news from