Toys R Us and Babies R Us are once again holding their “Great Trade-In“, this time from January 29 to February 20.

The two huge toy and infant supply stores are offering discounts on select items that parents frequently need. The participating brands are joining with Toys R Us and Babies R Us to help offer parents a way to obtain brand new car seats, strollers, and more that parents might not otherwise be able to afford new. They hope this will help parents who may be tempted to use recalled or slightly damaged baby products due to being unable to afford newer ones. Toys R Us and Babies R Us also hopes that parents who have not yet heard about recalls in products they may have will learn about these problems and have an opportunity to replace those items now.

The brands that are joining in the “Great Trade-In” include Babi Italia, Baby Cache, Baby Trend, Bergamo, Bertini, Britax, Carter’s, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Little Tikes, Safety 1st, Sorelle and Step2.

The most commonly traded-in items are usually car seats, however cribs are also frequently taken in for a discount off of a new model. Other safety devices and infant products such as bounce seats and highchairs can also be traded in during this time.

Safety experts say parents should not use handed down or used infant items. Items can break down over time with use, and safety standards are frequently updated to keep current infant products as safe as possible. – Summer, Staff Writer

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After coming under fire for denying a Chinese-American infant a $25,000 prize in a New Year’s baby contest because her mother was not a legal U.S. resident, the Toys “R” Us company said Saturday evening that it had reversed its decision.

The Wayne, N.J.-based company said it would award each of the three babies in the grand prize pool of the “First Baby of the Year Sweepstakes” a $25,000 savings bond. Toys “R” us is the parent company of Babies “R” Us, which sponsored the contest.

Toys “R” Us, which opened its first mainland China store less than a month ago, changed its mind after Chinese-American advocates protested and the story was reported in ethnic newspapers and The New York Times among other outlets.

“We love all babies,” the company said in a written statement Saturday. “Our sweepstakes was intended to welcome the first baby of 2007 and prepare for its future. We deeply regret that this sweepstakes became a point of controversy.”

The prize was originally supposed to go to Yuki Lin, who was born at the stroke of midnight at New York Downtown Hospital, according to hospital officials.

She won a random drawing with two other babies for the $25,000 savings bond, said Toys “R” Us spokeswoman Kathleen Waugh. The company had said it would go to the first American baby born in 2007.

Yuki was born an American citizen. But the company disqualified her because “the sweepstakes administrator was informed that the mother of the baby born at New York Downtown Hospital was not a legal resident of the United States,” Waugh said.

Although promotional materials called for “all expectant New Year’s mothers” to apply, Waugh said eligibility rules required babies’ mothers to be legal residents. Many sweepstakes have such requirements, Waugh said.

Attempts to reach Yuki’s parents, Yan Zhu Liu and Han Lin, 22, were unsuccessful Saturday. Their immigration status was not clear.

The original prize was instead awarded to runner-up Jayden Swain, born 19 seconds after midnight at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga. The third baby in the running was born in Bay Shore, N.Y., to a couple from El Salvador.

If the baby is an American citizen the prize should be awarded to her. Sometimes these big corporations get too tied up with the fine print. The baby should get the bond, which will probably be cash able when she turns a certain age.

SOURCE:FOXNEWS