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Frazzled

Frazzled
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Latest post on 15 July 2015 - 21:05
It sounds as though you need to get some new interests to pursue and meet people that way. The gym is very much something you do on your own, but a group activity like a choir, theatre group, book club, cookery or pottery classes are more interactive and social. Ductac at MOE has loads of classes starting in September and there are lots of other places you could look at as well, and various listings in Time Out for all sorts of interest groups and volunteering opportunities. You're more likely to meet like-minded people and have something in common to talk about with them that way and learning a new skill will help build your confidence and give you something to look forward to outside work. Good luck!
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Latest post on 14 July 2015 - 15:30
Egg, I've never done any shopping for my maids; they get a decent wage and should buy their own food, toiletries etc. from their salary, preferably in their own time. I can't see what advantage it would give me as an employer to waste my time doing the maid's shopping for her, unless she's ill. Perhaps think about doing things differently with your next maid soy don't have the shopping list hassle.
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Latest post on 11 June 2015 - 17:49
Our duvet needs washing and is too big to fit in our machine. The label says it's dangerous to dry clean it. Does anyone know where I could get it washed and dried in a launderette size machine? We're in Arabian Ranches, so any recommendations this side of Dubai would be great. Thanks.
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Latest post on 02 June 2015 - 11:24
Interesting new research out on the genetic link in boys with autism: http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2015/boys-with-autism-inherit-mutations-from-unaffected-mothers
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Latest post on 24 May 2015 - 18:27
I suggest you consider a specialist company for transferring money into foreign accounts, such as HiFX or similar mentioned on some of the threads on here. Although you get moderate transaction charges the exchange rates are significantly better for large amounts of money than doing it through HSBC and the transfer does not have to be into another HSBC account. You may also want to look up the HRMC website or contact them about your situation to clarify what the tax implications are, not just in view of the amount, but because you're moving back there as a resident and will be eligible for tax. Good luck with your move.
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Latest post on 24 May 2015 - 09:41
If it's only been going on for a week or so perhaps she has a stomach bug and genuinely feels unwell. Sometimes bugs do carry on for a while. If my son has a cold or post-nasal drip the phlegm can go down to his stomach and make him vomit and then he often complains of a sensitive stomach on a few successive nights at bedtime. Personally I'd go to the doctor just to check it out and see whether it's an anxiety issue or a physical one. I'm not sure what you mean when you mention her sensitive nature, but might that include food allergies or sensory issues? Children with sensory issues sometimes struggle with particular food textures and the feel of things in their mouth. Hope she's soon back to normal.
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Latest post on 23 May 2015 - 12:13
I give my maid a salary advance because that's when she has the most expenses and then give her a reduced salary over several months until she's paid back the loan. She's been with us for several years now and is trustworthy, so I know she'll be coming back at the end of the vacation.
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Latest post on 23 May 2015 - 12:08
The travel agent told me that Sri Lanka airlines has an allowance of 40Kg out and 30Kg back, which is more than it says on their website, presumably because they know that most of the Sri Lankans here in low paid jobs save their money all year to take back as much back as possible to their extended family who depend on them. The Emirates flight was cheaper for us this year but we went for the Air Lanka flight instead so that our maid got the bigger baggage allowance. She lives in a rural area a long way from the airport and it's a lot more inconvenient (and costly) for her to ship stuff back. We're lucky that she's a good maid and we don't mind paying a slightly more expensive fare for her to do this. Our previous maid sent cargo back every year and filled it with rice and basic foodstuffs because they were so much more expensive to buy in Sri Lanka than to buy and send back from here. I have always let my maids have salary advances before they travel because they have always needed them and there's never been any problems with them repaying it from their monthly salary over several months when they came back. If they're on my sponsorship I want them to have enough money to get back here safely after their vacation. Generally speaking lots of maids don't save up money for themselves so they have something to fall back on because they are here living frugally in order to send money home every month to their families. If I've got a good, trustworthy maid who does that, then I don't mind helping her out a bit.
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Latest post on 19 May 2015 - 10:29
Definitely get the school place sorted first. Make your visit to schools asap - our school terms finish earlier here than lots of other countries and it's extremely hard to get places in most of them, except for new schools due to open (and presumably will have some teething problems) in August/September. Most primary schools will finish in June and open at the end of August/beginning of September, so you have a limited time to look around and see if it's the right place for your daughter. Suggest you contact the schools in advance to book up visits, as it's a busy time of year for them with exams, end of term concerts, etc. Good luck.
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Latest post on 19 May 2015 - 10:19
A smartly dressed man follows a lone female at night across a road to her isolated car in a dimly lit car park, makes no effort to attract her attention and then tries to get her to open the window of her locked car - definitely suspicious behaviour. As Couch Potato says, report it to Al Ameen and also mention to the gym so that they can keep an eye open for him - it may not be the first time he's followed one of their members. If he'd been a salesman or a beggar, I doubt he'd have waited until you were in the car to get your attention, he would have said " Excuse me, ma"am" and tried to tell you what he wanted when he was just a few paces behind you. Please, please report it you don't want some other poor woman going through that or worse. And if you ever suspect someone is following you again, don't carry on walking towards somewhere dark and isolated; alter your route and head somewhere safer with other people.
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Latest post on 10 May 2015 - 19:21
A few extras to think about: If you have a pool with your villa, you should at least double your water & electricity estimate, and include pool maintenance fees. Garden - are you doing this yourself? Most people don't, so have to factor in garden maintenance as well. Will you be getting any pets? Good luck with your move.
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Latest post on 09 May 2015 - 12:25
We are premium customers and had better service when they were Lloyds but I honestly don't know of any bank I would change to here. My main gripes are with the HSBC credit card: 1. We've stopped receiving our credit card statement by post and they can't explain why we are not receiving it because it's being sent to our private postbox. Ordinary bank statements to the same postbox get through no problem. 2. Only the principal credit card holder of a HSBC joint credit card account is allowed to have online visibility or verbal information regarding credit card balances or purchases. We have an automatic payment set up and they can still legally debit our joint bank account for the outstanding credit card monthly payment without telling me how much money they are taking and what purchases it relates to. And of course, there is the inconvenience of having a credit card declined because you don't know that the limit has been reached because they haven't taken the monthly payment. There is no way around this, they tell me. I've assumed this just happens with HSBC as I haven't heard of anyone else having these issues, so I would think twice before having a joint HSBC credit card linked to the account, if you are looking for that facility.
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Latest post on 06 May 2015 - 11:10
My youngest had his vaccines separately about 10 years ago. At that time we could get the measles vaccine here separately but had to get the others done privately in the UK. We also had an antibodies test done privately in the UK several months after all the vaccines were given to check his immunity levels and ensure that he had sufficient immunity to exempt him from the booster at age 3-4.
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Latest post on 04 May 2015 - 11:08
|School run depends on the ages of your children and whether you would do the drive or put them on the school bus. If bus, then check with the school which areas it covers. The bus ride can add a lot to a child's day, particularly in this traffic. It's generally easier to live closer to the school and commute further to work than vice versa if you are doing the driving and it's much easier to do lift-sharing for parties, sports fixtures etc. if other parents at the school live nearby. I wouldn't want to do the DESS primary run from Marina or Greens. I used to do it from Jumeirah years ago and it was pretty painful then. Great school though. Quite a few DESS families live in Mirdif/Festival City but that might be the wrong side for your work commute.
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Latest post on 04 May 2015 - 10:58
My 15 year old gets easily distracted, so we moved his PC out of his bedroom downstairs to a central work area where all 3 kids do their homework. We moved the PS4 into the same room so it can only be used when all 3 have finished their homework. It's inconvenient for playdates at times and they all moan about it but it really does restrict the amount of time they use it. Before we did this we did remove the PS4 for a whole month so that nobody, including Dad, could use it, and that really worked. I've also confiscated all the controllers when I've been really fed up and threatened to forget where I put them... Ipads and iPhones are a complete nightmare to police though because they need daily access to them for schoolwork etc. Putting the charging points for them in our bedroom helped and we check that we have all of them at bedtime to avoid nighttime gaming. They still spend too much time on them though.
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Latest post on 04 May 2015 - 10:46
Although all of Wales is a fabulous place to visit, I second Love Bubbles's suggestions. Over the years I've taken my children to most of the places she's listed. Big Pit is awesome for kids as you get to go underground with your miner's helmet on. We usually head over to the St. Fagans welsh folk museum, just outside Cardiff, which is an open air museum with buildings from all over Wales to explore. Lots of castles all over the place, including Castell Coch, which is an absolute gem both inside and out. We'll be going back to the Doctor Who exhibition in Cardiff Bay again this year. If you're up in the Swansea/Tenby area look out for Anna's Mountain Zoo, which is small but delightful; the highlight is the wallaby enclosure where the wallabies take food from your hand while you pet them. This year I hope to get to the National Botanic Gardens near there too. Hope you have a fabulous time, wherever you end up!
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Latest post on 03 May 2015 - 20:46
Put your foot down and tell them there's not enough room for everyone to stay, otherwise this will keep happening. You shouldn't have to move out of your home into a hotel, which you will have to pay for, just because your in-laws have invited people to stay in your house!
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Latest post on 29 April 2015 - 17:04
Is it a single tenant or is there a couple/family there? If she's complaining about noisy neighbours it may not be a priority for the police. If she says she's worried it might be a domestic "incident" then that would probably be given a higher priority.
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Latest post on 25 April 2015 - 07:43
The temporary fix for extra protection is to put a length of wooden pole cut to size on the runner at the bottom of the door to jam it shut. Several years ago we found some catches at ACE that you could screw onto the metal framework of the doorframe which would hold the door fast. They weren't advertised as door locks though, so you just need to have a look and see what might work with your particular door.
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Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 17:07
Thanks, Dentro, I think a trip to Satwa will be in order... if you've left me any!
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Latest post on 12 April 2015 - 15:07
My local Spinneys & Choithrams only seem to stock the new eco-friendly light bulbs which are too big to fit in my lights or halogen bulbs. Does anyone know where to get the standard 60W screw or bayonet fitting light bulbs? Thank you.
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Latest post on 31 March 2015 - 13:21
The KHDA and the school have their limits about how much absence a child can take for non-medical reasons. If your child has to attend school and you have nobody else to ensure this happens and provide adequate care for them at all times you have a cast-iron reason for not giving in to pressure from others to take holidays to suit them. Good school places here are like gold dust and you do not want to end up in trouble with the KHDA or jeopardise your child's school place. Friends and family obviously miss you and the children, which is wonderful. Unfortunately if you let them dictate how you spend your free and non-free time now it will be very difficult to change later. You're a wife, mother and adult, so you should be able to stand your ground and make the decisions which are best for you, your husband and children.
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Latest post on 25 March 2015 - 09:52
And now we have another advertiser for Admin to deal with.
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Latest post on 17 March 2015 - 19:01
The one where the passive aggressive mother has done nothing about getting a present for her daughter's birthday the following day because she's too busy to go to the mall and takes up her husband's fantastic suggestion of "gifting" her some data, exclaiming " She'll love that!". Just what every girl hopes for...
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Latest post on 16 March 2015 - 10:09
We've got a brass lamp base bought here several years ago (so no chance of taking it back to the shop) which doesn't work and according to my DH, never has. Can anyone recommend an electrician who deals in this kind of thing? Thanks.
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Latest post on 09 March 2015 - 17:58
I am so sorry to hear your poor boy is having to deal with this. In addition to all the good advice from other posters, please keep a daily diary of every incident so you have a written record to show the teacher, Head of Year or whoever else gets involved from the school. It's horrible for your son to have to tell you about all the things he'd rather forget but it's helpful to identify who is a ringleader, who is a contributor, who stands by and lets it happen and who is actively nice to your son on a regular basis. One friend of mine did a daily checklist of all the kids in her son's class and he ticked which box they fell into - mean, OK, nice - and that helped her to get him talking about what specifically had happened during the day. Also time of day and location are useful - is it happening in the classroom, playground, toilets, break time - so you can identify any bullying hotspots that need extra teacher monitoring. Even when you think it's been resolved, keep this going for a few weeks to make sure any improvements the school makes are actually working. Also give some thought to what you would like the school to do about it, because they may well ask. When it happened to my son, I asked for the counsellor to get involved in working with the whole year group about cooperation and consideration for peers, so that those who stood by and watched it happen knew what action they should take in future and also to send the message that the school did not consider the behaviour acceptable. I also spoke discreetly to other mums in the class and it turned out that the ringleader had bullied some of their sons too, which was useful to point out as a pattern of behaviour, not just an isolated case. The sweet, sensitive souls are easy targets for bullies, so trying to help him make good friends at school and outside is a good idea (maybe some playdates with nicer classmates?), as is any activities to raise his self-confidence and assertiveness, which are obviously taking a battering at the moment. I hope you soon get this sorted out and your little boy can look forward to having a good day at school every day.
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Latest post on 05 March 2015 - 21:06
Loving The Sun, thanks for the total sympathy you expressed for those of us struggling with kids on the spectrum. You have every right to rant shamelessly about measles vaccinations or lack of, but it's a bit inconsiderate to hijack a thread on autism instead of adding to the many current anti-vaccine threads or starting up new anti-vaccine threads with relevant titles. ASD is a real challenge for any family dealing with it and just shouting "what about measles injections?" at us isn't a particularly helpful contribution and does feel as though you're trying to sideline the many issues we face on a daily basis. Stix, sorry I don't know how to add this as a link, but the list of possible causes is huge, so please google it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_autism
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Latest post on 05 March 2015 - 10:32
Does anyone know of any electronics clubs or classes for children in Dubai which might be suitable for an 11 year old? Thanks
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Latest post on 05 March 2015 - 10:23
I do hope this isn't being hijacked for another measles rant thread already. Undoubtedly it often does run in families but 98% autism due to genes seems a bit on the high side to me. Convenient for any government wishing to divert attention and research funding away from other possible causes of autism.
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Latest post on 23 February 2015 - 21:13
Both my kids' schools have Lockdown drills now and I am happier knowing that there is an established procedure and recognisable alarm that children and teachers can identify and follow should it be necessary. Without procedures and practice the most likely scenario is that everyone thinks the alarm is a fire drill and evacuates the school buildings, which is likely to result in more casualties. Whether the Lockdown drills are carried out as often as fire drills and the procedures are in line with best practice in places like the US is more of a concern to me. DS says his last Lockdown drill was 4 years ago...
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Latest post on 23 February 2015 - 17:11
I'm looking for suggestions for a 15th birthday celebration, for about 10 boys & girls, which allows a guest with limited walking stability to take part either in a wheelchair or unaided. A movie is the obvious option but we would prefer something more exciting if possible. I wondered whether any bowling alleys accommodate wheelchairs here? Or maybe archery at Sharjah Shooting Club? My DS likes the idea of rifle shooting there but I don't know whether there are any age restrictions or whether it is suitable for someone with mobility issues. Their website isn't very helpful, unfortunately. Hoping you have some great ideas, as I'm struggling! Thanks for any help.
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 12:17
I've no idea about the travel situation but when ours were on hold because my husband was leaving a previous employer we had problems getting travel insurance for a holiday that had been booked for ages, even though our return flights were before the end of his notice period. Eventually we found a company called World Nomads who covered us (google them).
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Latest post on 11 February 2015 - 13:49
Thanks for the great suggestions!
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Latest post on 11 February 2015 - 13:47
Thanks for all your replies; you've been really helpful.
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 09:52
Get your school places sorted before you commit to anything. Getting school places is the trickiest thing, particularly if you have 3 part way through the year. You may not be able to get all your kids into the same school and/or have different drop and pickup times even if they're at the same school depending on age or after school clubs etc and have to look at school bus routes. No way would I want do Palm to Nad al Sheba school runs; traffic on SZR and Al Khail is horrendous at drop off and pickup times. Living closer to school is better, as that's the drive you'll be doing most often and where most of your children's activities and friends are likely to be if you need help with lifts or carpooling.
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Latest post on 22 January 2015 - 18:11
DubaiWoman26 - a brand new poster who recommends Peppers almost every time she posts. Admin???
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Latest post on 21 January 2015 - 10:29
Thanks, Ladies. It's drying out nicely for a few days.
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Latest post on 18 January 2015 - 13:12
Yes it does. I'm not interested in activity adventure weekends. I need to be spoilt rotten!
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Latest post on 17 January 2015 - 12:09
We are serious carpet addicts too and would recommend Attif Hellal, who owns Tabriz Carpets in the Blue Souk in Sharjah, whom we have dealt with for many years. His numbers are 050 6261720 and 06 5723672 and he was featured in this article in 2011: http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/finding-souls-in-old-rugs-carpet-seller-attif-hellal His carpets aren't cheap, although they do range in price, but they are good quality and he has a huge variety, including lots of antique. He will provide certificates of authenticity on request. He offers a cleaning and repair service and will attach fixtures so you can hang your carpet on the wall if you ask for them. Tribal carpets are pretty hardwearing and great for floors. However, I would recommend hanging pure silk carpets on the wall for better protection but do ensure they aren't in direct sunlight to prevent fading. They are also more stunning than the artwork I see on most walls! Over the years Attif has got to know our taste in carpets and makes a point of looking for ones he thinks will appeal to me when he goes on his buying trips to Iran and elsewhere; and he is often right, so we have a number of carpets bought at different times but woven by the same family. I agree with all the comments about not looking for a bargain but buying what you love. The difficulty is buying only one and having to leave the rest!
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Latest post on 10 January 2015 - 10:00
Thanks, Chewit.
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Latest post on 10 January 2015 - 09:57
Someone posted on another thread a while back that whenever she needed to clear out her apartment she got her maid to sell all the items and split the profit with her. Apparently it worked very well, as the maid was keen to get the best price for everything.
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Latest post on 15 December 2014 - 17:38
Ours has Christmas Day off and has one month's salary as Christmas bonus from us and a small gift from the children. When we came here 14 years ago the extra month's salary was pretty standard for most maids but then generally speaking the employer just provided the basic salary, accommodation and gas/water/electric, not extras such as toiletries and mobiles.
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Latest post on 05 November 2014 - 16:24
We want to turn one of our bedrooms into a dedicated gym for personal use and need to get some suitable flooring down to cover the marble tiles. We really don't want to spend a fortune on it but haven't found anything suitable in the shops yet. Does anyone have any suggestions where we might find something reasonable? Thank you.
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Latest post on 02 November 2014 - 10:54
We've probably had about 30 birthday cakes from there over the years because my boys like the designs and flavour. The cakes have always been decorated well and corresponded to the pictures shown and I've never had to request alterations to writing or had any problems with collecting them at the agreed times. I've often suggested we try other places, including a friend who makes fabulous cakes, but my boys like them from Park N Shop. I personally find them too sweet for my taste, but the kids at the parties generally eat them quite happily. In my view, if I were looking to impress adults, I'd go elsewhere, but if you're looking for a reasonable looking birthday cake to be consumed by children and don't want to spend a fortune it's a decent option. I always box up any leftovers to be shared in class the next day, so it disappears pretty quickly.
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Latest post on 21 October 2014 - 13:43
NO!!! I wouldn't let a boy of 15 go to an unsupervised party either. It's not just girls who are vulnerable at that age and we have a duty to protect our sons too. How do you/your daughter know this isn't intended to be a party just for 2? You seem to have no way of checking this out. When my son goes to a house party I always ask for the contact number of the parents so I can make they will be there for the duration. He's always been happy to give it to me, knowing I am prepared to phone them. Some parents are happy to let their kids have unsupervised parties; some are away for the weekend and don't know about it until they come back and have to deal with the consequences, which may well include police involvement, criminal damage, hospitalisation, death, etc. Don't forget that lots of houses & apartment complexes here have pools. Even if it's not a pool party it can so easily turn into one without adult supervision and there is plenty of scope for things to go wrong. I know of one party here where the young man's body wasn't found until later because nobody noticed him going under the water. If you are able to make the decision yourself, Rosie, you tell your daughter rather than making your husband responsible for it. There will be plenty of other times you have to say no to her, so she'll know where you stand and that you are taking her welfare seriously. I agree with Daza's view that you should encourage her both to widen her circle of friends and meet this boy too. You may decide he's not the best influence on her. On the other hand, you may well find he's a perfectly nice boy who really, really likes her, but she's worried that him meeting her parents will scare him off. It's worthwhile remembering that there are some lovely teenage boys out there who actually want a proper girlfriend they can talk to & spend time with. If he does turn out to be wonderful, she still needs to make some good friends apart from him though. Just not at an unsupervised party.
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Latest post on 20 October 2014 - 13:41
At nursery, I always opted out of the class presents and bought our own. At school I always contributed 50 - 100 AED for the primary classes only; it's not been done for secondary. One year we were asked to contribute 200 AED for one teacher's present (who I wasn't particularly impressed with) for a course of slimming treatments she had said she wanted, to be supplied by the business of one of the other class mums. I felt this was inappropriate as a gift, mentioned it to some of the other mums and we returned to the 100 AED per person we and the other classes generally contribute to teachers. Do the other classes at your school contribute 250 AED? It seems a very generous teacher's present to me and I can understand why you feel it's too much.
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Latest post on 11 October 2014 - 12:18
Is there anywhere in Dubai where kids can play badminton socially? My DS hates sports but has tried badminton in PE at school and is keen to do more but I don't know where we could take him either for a knock around with the family or to learn more with other children. Thanks for any suggestions.
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Latest post on 11 October 2014 - 12:12
It's 7 years ago since my then 3 year old DS had speech therapy at Rashid Paediatric Centre and I can't remember the cost of the therapy or the name of the speech therapist, who may well have moved on by now. Like your husband, we thought our youngest DS would catch up, as another DS and my husband had both had delayed speech development and caught up without any problem. We had a hearing test done to rule out that as a problem and had a firm diagnosis of delayed speech development both from the American Hospital. The view from the hospital was that he would probably catch up in time but bring him back for a further assessment if he didn't seem to be making progress. The decision to get speech therapy was pretty much forced on us when my DS's nursery teacher kindly tipped us off that the school we were planning to send him to had been in to meet/assess the children who they had offered places to and were not at all happy with his communication skills and were considering withdrawing his place. I immediately panicked, spoke to the the wonderful lady who headed up Speech Therapy at Rashid, who booked him in for an immediate assessment, so that by the time the school got in touch with me later that week I had a firm diagnosis from them and our first speech therapy appointment scheduled. On that basis the school maintained the offer of a place and he has been there ever since. After 18 months of speech therapy twice a week, he was discharged and has been very articulate and also very good at spelling ever since. It was not cheap, he hated going when he thought he spoke fine and all his classmates were at playdates instead, but it was a very worthwhile investment of time and money. Before he caught up with his speech, because he was slower in expressing himself in words and the other children couldn't understand some of what he was saying, they got frustrated with him and tended to make friends with other children who were equally articulate and he was definitely lonely in the classroom and the playground. This wasn't a problem at nursery but became very obvious at school because the other kids just leapt ahead due to their language acquisition. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with dyspraxia and sensory issues about a year after speech therapy finished and ADHD earlier this year. When speech delay was diagnosed we did not realise that it could be an indicator of a number of other conditions, such as those my DS has and also dyslexia,etc. If we had known I would have got him assessed for those at the time and he could have received the support he needed much earlier. Hopefully for your DS it is just a simple speech delay, but I would recommend you at least get an assessment from a speech therapist and rule out any other possibilities as early as you can. Schools these days are extremely hard to get places at and many of them do assess children at nursery. A friend of mine had an offer withdrawn because her DS had delayed speech development in english, probably because 3 languages were spoken at home (he is now 7, bright as a button, fluent in all 3 languages and didn't have speech therapy) and had a very anxious time trying to find him a place at short notice. I hope everything works out well for your DS.
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Latest post on 15 September 2014 - 17:11
No, it's really not standard practice to buy all your maid's personal hygiene items in addition to her salary, unless you agreed it when you hired her. I can't believe you are paying your maid a fair and agreed salary and on top of that she (not you) has decided she is entitled to an additional spending allowance and sends you out with her shopping list to get it all for her! If you have agreed time off after lunch and she uses that to nap, that's not unusual for a maid, but she should then come back and work the hours you have agreed afterwards. 5.30am to 12 is quite a stretch for anyone without a break so perhaps rethink whether those are the best working hours for her and also what other tasks you can delegate to her to make your life easier...like sorting out the lunchboxes and cooking her own food... She's definitely taking advantage of your good nature and the fact you are so tired, busy & stressed to get herself settled into working habits which suit her and give additional remuneration. Possibly not the best start from your point of view. I suggest you sit down with her and review how things are going and clarify what your expectations are and what, if anything, you are prepared to pay for in addition to her salary as stated in her contract. I doubt she'll like it, but at the end of the day you have to manage her so that it works well for both of you, not just her.
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Latest post on 08 September 2014 - 17:17
My DS has just started learning the drums and we need to get him noise-cancelling headphones to protect his hearing. The ones we've seen so far seem pretty expensive for children's use. Does anyone have any suggestions where to find headphones which are effective but reasonably priced? Thanks.
 
 
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