FAMILY MATTERS
Doha Dad Talks: OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF EXPAT PARENTING
By Brett Roberts
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eing a Dad in Doha for me has been full of challenges and rewards. Prior to living in Qatar, we lived in Canada, and I was the stay-at-home parent to three young girls. When we moved for my wife’s position, I knew this would continue but would be full of changes with a new country, home, and culture. I don’t think I could have anticipated the challenges that were also thrust upon us with Covid taking over most of the world.
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The first challenge was simply getting the kids enrolled in school! In Canada, your children usually attend the school in the area where you live. When I arrived here, there were so many choices it was overwhelming, along with all the different curriculums. Then, once you pick some schools, you need to grapple with entry requirements and testing before gaining entry. I recall the stress and disappointment from trying to go through this process. When all three children were accepted into the same school, I was ready to throw a party, but this also started my next challenge: transportation for the kids.
