When babysitting for a new family, it can be very nerve wrecking. Are the kids going to like you? Are they going to cry when their parents leave? Here are some tricks of the trade to help get you through your first time babysitting a new family.

1. When you meet the kids for the first time, engage them in conversation. Don't just talk to the parents. That way, the kids will start to feel confortable with you while their parents are still there.

2. Bring over a bag with fun activities, such as arts and crafts or a deck of cards. Don't show the kids what's inside your bag until the parents leave, but tell them that you brought over fun games. They will be so curious about the contents of the bag and forget that their parents are leaving.

3. Before the parents leave, make sure that you have all appropriate phone numbers, such as their cell phone, or an emergency number that you can call just in case. Also it is better to have a brief note on the kid's schedule such as proportion for preparing formula, how to serve food(cold or warm), any medication to be administered, tips n tricks to soothe baby(Believe me, i write and give this kind of a note to my babysitter. For Example, When my Baby gets cranky if i kiss his feet, he laughs instantly)

4. You never know how kids will react to their bedtime. If you are lucky, the child will go to bed without any grief. This is a rare experience. Start warning the kids thirty minutes before it's bedtime. Let them know that they only have thirty more minutes and that they need to start wrapping up any activity. That way, there are no surprises and they can't argue with you that they did not finish something.

All in all, kids generally find their own ways to entertain themselves. Just follow their lead and have fun.