Supporting Your Nanny During Ramadan While Keeping Your Child’s Routine

Living in the UAE during Ramadan is a truly special experience. The pace of life slows down, the evenings are vibrant, and there is a massive focus on family and community.

But if you are an expat parent relying on a full-time childcare provider, Ramadan also brings a practical shift. If your nanny is fasting, she is waking up very early for Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) and going without food or water for around 13 to 14 hours. Naturally, her energy levels are going to dip, especially in the late afternoons.

If you want to reduce parenting stress in Dubai this month, you cannot expect your household to run on its exact normal rhythm. Here is how you can support your fasting nanny while still keeping your children happy and on schedule.

1. Front-Load the High-Energy Tasks

When you are fasting, the mornings are usually when you have the most energy. If your nanny usually takes the kids to the park at 4:00 PM or does the heavy vacuuming after lunch, it’s time to flip the nanny schedule around the school day.

Move all the physically demanding activities to the morning hours. Have her tackle the active playtime, the big tidying tasks, or the morning walk right after breakfast. By the time 3:00 PM rolls around, her core duties should shift to low-energy supervision.

2. Swap Active Play for "Low-Battery" Activities

You can’t expect a fasting nanny to chase a toddler around a playground in the mid-afternoon heat without water.

This is the perfect month to lean into low-energy indoor activities during Dubai's cooler months or prep ideas on how Dubai nannies keep kids entertained indoors. Stock up on puzzles, coloring books, Play-Doh, or building blocks. Encourage "quiet time" where the kids can do independent, seated activities while your nanny simply supervises from the sofa.

3. Adjust for UAE Ramadan School Hours

Schools and nurseries in Dubai and Abu Dhabi operate on shortened hours during Ramadan. This means your kids are going to be home earlier, and your nanny will be managing them for a longer stretch of the day.

If she is handling the school pickups, factor in the extra traffic that usually hits right around the 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM mark. When the kids get home, they might be cranky from the change in their own schedule. Sit down with your nanny and map out a revised afternoon plan so she isn't overwhelmed by lunchboxes, homework, and tantrums when her energy is at its lowest.

4. Rest When the Kids Rest

If your toddler still takes a midday nap, make it a strict rule that your nanny rests during this time too.

It is so tempting to ask her to use the nap window to fold laundry or prep dinner, but during Ramadan, that hour of rest is crucial for her to safely make it through to Iftar (the breaking of the fast). If you are using our home routine template, physically cross out chores during the baby's nap time for this month.

5. Over-Communicate (and Be Patient)

Fasting can sometimes cause headaches, fatigue, or a shorter fuse—it's just human nature!

Check in with her daily. Ask how she is feeling and if she needs you to step in. Sometimes language barriers and communication issues can make a nanny hesitant to admit she is exhausted because she is afraid of losing her job. Assure her that during this month, grace and flexibility are the priority.

The Bottom Line

Ramadan is only 30 days. By making a few proactive tweaks to your schedule and showing genuine empathy for what your nanny is physically going through, you build incredible loyalty and trust. She will remember that you supported her during her holy month, which will make your working relationship infinitely stronger for the rest of the year!

Looking for childcare support that perfectly fits your family's lifestyle? Peekaboo Nannies connects UAE parents with experienced, vetted helpers in just 5 easy steps.

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes. The UAE labor law dictates reduced working hours during Ramadan for private sector employees. For official rules regarding domestic worker hours during Ramadan, please refer to the official UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) website.