Hard to believe the kids are back at school and childcare. Wouldn't it be great for parents to have a holiday period after the holiday period! With that in mind, it's less than 10 weeks until Term 1 finishes (aagh!), and the perfect place for you to head to get the best deals and information for your next holiday is our Family Holiday Portal.

Over the Christmas break, Mother Nature unleashed a fury of conflicting weather patterns across most of the country. One of our feature stories this month will help you to save your family from post-storm hazards, and we would like to take this opportunity to encourage all our viewers to remember that in times of natural crisis - be it floods or droughts - the best thing we can do as Aussies is to support local Aussie businesses and to buy Australian-made products.

Our Forum's Research Section is as busy as ever, with threads from authors and journalists looking for fitting candidates to help them with articles and studies. Make sure this is a section you visit regularly to see if you are able to share your stories. At the moment, there are opportunities for you to talk about your maternity hospital experience, premature babies and postnatal depression along with tabling the statistics of unnecessary caesareans, to name just a few. We'd love your help.

Did Santa double up on any gifts for the children, or did you receive something you just really don't like no matter how many times you look at it? If you answered yes, check out Monkeys Undies and make yourself some money to buy the things you really want and need. You can buy and sell, all from the comfort of your home, plus with the sound knowledge that you are keeping your business in Australia. It's easy, but watch out - it can be addictive!

Diary Dates
If you live up in North Queensland, add the FNQ Baby and Kids Expo to your diary. In Cairns for one day only, the expo on February 23 at the Cairns Showgrounds is sure to arm you with all the knowledge about products and services you need as a parent. Click on their ad to the left to get all the information.

And for our South Australian readers, the Parents, Babies and Children's Expo is heading to Adelaide next month. Clear your diary for March 14-16. FREE tickets for Bub Hub viewers are available here.

Read on to check out this month's articles, new site features and fantastic competitions!

new site features this month

Latest Viewer Polls

We've got a range of interesting viewer polls running at the moment, covering varied topics such as romance, saving the planet and how to better manage our money. Check them out now and cast your vote to see how we all fare on the recycle stakes, the love rollercoaster and the money roundabout. Plus, we'd love to hear about your own ideas and experiences on each of these matters.

Tickers, tickers and more tickers!

Have you got one yet? 'What is it' you ask? Tickers are a fun way to remember or celebrate a momentous occasion, either in the past or in the future. With over 50 designs to choose from, and a myriad of icons to marry up with, you're sure to be the envy of your email address book and forum buddies! There's so many to choose from we're not sure how you're going to pick one!

New Review Topics

The latest products to hit the floor of our review section have been a popular request. We are happy to announce that Baby and Child Wearing Products (AKA slings, pouches, baby carriers, front packs, backpacks, hip seats) have arrived and are now ready for you to add your personal reviews. We've also added Capsules, Carseats and Boosters to the list, giving you now 16 categories overall with a whopping 880 all-important parenting products featured. There are more lined up for next month, too!!

competitions & giveaways

Competition Code
BackToSchool

Two Sydney viewers can win exercise classes and extras valued at over $200 each, and three viewers get their choice of an invigorating exercise dvd, all from Jane Simons Pregnancy & Postnatal Exercise. Total prize pool is $619.95.

Dress your little one in style when you win a Noo Designs outfit, courtesy of Bella Maternity & Children's Wear. 10 gorgeous outfits are up for grabs. Total prize pool is $599.90.

5 lucky viewers have the chance to win an amazing bundle of goodies for mum, bub and siblings, lovingly put together for you by Jazslings. Total prize pool is $500.

FREE tickets to the Adelaide Pregnancy Babies & Children's Expo.
14-16 March, 2008, Adelaide Showground, Wayville. The Bub Hub will have a stand there, so come along and say hello, find out about what's new on the site and get your FREE pram ribbon!

Sponsored Competitions

Expecting or breastfeeding and living in or near Melbourne? Have the chance to be a model for a day with Top Secret Maternity, with prizes including a divine wardrobe - all the touches a model would expect included! Two winners will each win prizes worth over $500.

Need ideas on what to do for dinner tonight? Then look no further. Everyone who enters wins, plus there are books on helpful hints and exotic cookbooks from Plancookeat.com on the table for you to win!!

articles

Pregnancy Tips
Pregnancy can bring with it ailments ranging from the slightly odd to the totally uncomfortable. Here's My Child Magazine's guide to coping with 10 common conditions ...

Lunchbox Tips
Children are precious, and deserve the best start to life. By helping them to establish healthy eating habits early on, you can ensure that your children thrive, are energetic, have early protection from many illnesses (such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and tooth decay) and develop a positive association with food ...

It's Mosquito Time
It's that time of year and everyone has a solution to the mosquito problem that they swear works. Bug zappers don't necessarily work because mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide humans breathe out, not to light, so they just ignore them. Here's a few remedies for you to try ...