In Oman, “Parental Neglect a Cause for Concern”

10 responses to “In Oman, “Parental Neglect a Cause for Concern””

evanlaar1922 | November 15, 2012 at 3:58 am | Reply

seems worse when friends from other countries come to Canada to live – so busy trying to reconnect with the good life that kids seem to be in the way
- andydbrown | November 18, 2012 at 6:22 pm | Reply
  
  So true. May our children never seem to be a nuissance in our way but seen for what they should be – the most precious things in our lives!
  - evanlaar1922 | November 18, 2012 at 6:51 pm | Reply
    
    funny thing – we have been spending time with about 20 Egyptian youth now for these past 6 months and my comments before reflected them. We have been really pushing them to get out of the mind they are in and change their worldview. My daughter took over Friday night, and she said – Dad, you would have cried as they each explained what God had been doing in their lives – just this week!! Miracles are happening…
    - andydbrown | November 20, 2012 at 9:09 am | Reply
      
      Nice to hear a personal update from you! God bless you and the family, brother! As you said, I think many people need to consider changing their worldview as it influences the way we live.
Jado | November 15, 2012 at 12:14 pm | Reply

Thank you Andy for sharing this. I hope more people read it and actually reconsider some of their questionable behaviours. I know of a couple who lost their 3 year old son this year because they did not buckle in his seat belt. They said they were not even speeding when a car rear ended them. You don’t need to be going fast for something like this to happen. Please people, unveil this curtain that is ignorance and learn.
- andydbrown | November 18, 2012 at 6:23 pm | Reply
  
  Thanks for commenting, Jado. How sad for the couple that you know. I can’t even imagine. Thanks for the reminder that you don’t need to be going fast to lose loved ones – that is a major misconception out there!
Susan Mubarak | November 16, 2012 at 4:38 pm | Reply

Thanks for sharing Saleh’s piece. Child neglect is a serious cause for concern in Oman. I published a piece about this last month as well. http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Stories-Files/Child-Safety-1r5q something has to be done. The first step is to make car seats mandatory for small children.
- andydbrown | November 18, 2012 at 6:27 pm | Reply
  
  Hi, Susan! Always nice to see a comment from one of Oman’s most talented reporters! I did read that piece. Thanks for that well-written article and for linking to it here!
Princess | November 18, 2012 at 8:06 am | Reply

*Seatbelts and care seats *Supervision (if your maid is doing the cooking and cleaning she isn’t responsible for the kid, period.) I have a nanny because I work. Her ONLY job is to watch my princess when I can’t. If I can’t mind my daughter when I am cooking or cleaning [husband’s turn on the parental front;)] I can’t expect someone else to be able to. Period. *Don’t let kids out of the house alone until they are 14-15yrs old and always know where they are and who they are with and what they are up to. *Don’t ever leave a kid alone in any kind of water. * Don’t leave kids alone in the car. *Get baby gates for villas with stairs and leave them closed at all times, and safety locks for cupboards and medecine cabinets. I also tape electrical wires to the wall above toddler reach.

In my own family three family members have almost run over their own neices and nephews QUITE recently and none of them are bad drivers. Something needs to change. We have just been lucky. It is only a matter of time for people when I see 2 yr olds wandering alone on the roads alone and unattended, parents indooors and not really caring.

TOTALLY UNRELATED BUT FUN FACT:
And dear Omani guys: I married MOP even though he is not rich or well-spoken;p because he actually wore a seatbelt and owned a carseat for kids. To me, that meant he was one of those Omanis who care about other people around him. It meant he thought in a responsible way and that carries over to other things. So instead of greasing your hair and spending odious ammounts of money on copious ammount of cologne or new underlights for the undercarriage of your ride, invest in the future of your country by getting carseats and being a good rolemodel for the kids in your family by always buckling up. Everybody always loves the cool Uncle. That’s more “modern” than your music tastes, I guarantee you.
andydbrown | November 18, 2012 at 6:29 pm | Reply

Thanks for your comments, Princess. The best part…”So instead of greasing your hair and spending odious ammounts of money on copious ammount of cologne or new underlights for the undercarriage of your ride…” Haha! You always do tell it like it is! 🙂 Your comments are always appreciated here.