What it’s like to live in a child friendly society
Some first-hand observations from a Dubai Mummy
Most people’s idea of Dubai is one curated by social media algorithms furnished by instagram hoes and Lamborghini douchebags but this is not an accurate description of the city, and I say this as someone who has lived here for three years now. There are many obsequious panegyrics out there on the city of Dubai and I find them in poor taste because of how well known it is that the publication of any criticism of the city is not a wise thing to do. However, this piece is not a disingenuous ad, nor is it a scandalous “exposé” to sate the appetites of gossip gluttons.
I am writing this piece because it occurred to me this past weekend, while sitting in an outdoor Cafe with my two-under-two, experiencing more elite customer service than the richest could pay for in the cold-hearted streets of London, that the western world has no idea what a child-friendly society is even like anymore. There are many who wish to re-create this kind of society, but it would do well for them to know what the end goal feels like to a young mother of two.
What does a truly child friendly society look, feel, taste and sound like? What are the small advantages that allow parents the feeling that their child is not merely tolerated but loved when they go out in public? I have lived in Canada, the UK and Dubai over the last three years and this puts me in the unique position to answer all of these questions with accuracy and depth. And you do need these answers, if you want to re-habilitate the west again. It is clear that a society that is not child friendly, is by definition heading toward its own annihilation at warp speed.
