Please help me tip camp counselors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've got two kids who are camp counselors. Even for those really expensive camps, the money goes to the family that owns the camp, not my kids. (I suspect a lot of it also goes to liability insurance what with all the horseback riding, climbing towers, boats, swimming, etc.) My kids make about 200 dollars a week working 24/7 at a sleepaway camp full of really rich kids. Did you know that after your kids have been sent home on the buses the counselors fight over the designer clothes that have been left behind in various lost and found bins? Often that's their tip. So yes, if you can afford it, tip them. My son spent the summer changing and washing sheets for a kid who wet the bed every night. In that situation, you should definitely tip.

If your kid is looking for a summer job to make money, he should wait tables or work at an ice cream shop. You don't become a camp counselor to make $$$, and having already shelled out multiple thousands to send my own child to camp, I don't appreciate the shakedown by the parent of a kid who chose to take such a job for the summer.

[Anonymous]

You absolutely should tip your camp councilors!! They pay those kids next to nothing and are depending on the tips. Generally, it's 2 dollars a day.

[Anonymous]

$2 a day? What camp are you sending your kid to? Any day camp is paying their staff at least minimum wage. Overnight camps often give counselors a stipend, but that is because their room and board is provided free of charge.

BTW, if your kid is in an Arlington County camp, their staff is forbidden from accepting tips. She just don't tip, rather than put some high school kid in an awkward position of having to turn it down.

[Anonymous]

If you want to do something for the counselors , send in the amount you would spend to the head counselor and ask him/her to use it to treat the staff to a Starbucks morning, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think tipping a camp counselor would be very awkward. They are going to wonder why you are just giving them money.

Sorry, I should have said gift. I was planning on doing $10 gift cards to Starbucks or iTunes.

I think gift cards are nice. I lean towards Starbucks or even Chipotle. or even Amazon. Don't do iTunes.

That said - you definitely don't need to tip them but they're kids/college students with not much money and would definitely appreciate it. If you have the money, go for it.

So should I send in a bunch of $10 gift cards with 6yo DS and let him distribute to his favorite counselors?

Camp has kiss and ride style drop off and pick up.

Are you Kidding? He is 6. A child distributing gift cards is nuts. Don't bother with this. It seems like you don't even know the counselors anyway.

[Anonymous]

What? You don't tip camp counselors. /thread

[Anonymous]

Offer to buy pizza or something for all the counselors or bring in donuts for them all instead.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you bring in bagels and coffee for the whole staff?

[Anonymous]

Agree that child should not be in charge of choosing who gets a gift.
I would call or email the camp administrators and ask them for the names of counselors. If that is too many to give individual gifts to, then the bagel coffee idea is a greay way go do it.

Frankly, I am sick and tired of the tipping culture here, I hate feeling like I have to do it. However, I was a summer camp counselor for many years, and getting that small gift of appreciation at end of camp from a few kids really made me feel appreciated. Plus, these counselors are probably between 14 and 22, $10 gesture goes a long way.

[Anonymous]

There was a post like this about a month ago. I posted that I was a camp counselor in Austin got tips, although not for everyone. I was in college and it was very helpful. It also helped pay for my first security deposit on an apartment.

No, you don't have to tip, but these counselors are not bringing a ton of money. If you can, and you appreciate what they did, it is a nice gesture

[Anonymous]

Many counselors that are doing on every week camps at least the hs students do not get paid. When I was a counselor it was a 6hr day for one week and we never got paid but received tips which made most of our days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think tipping a camp counselor would be very awkward. They are going to wonder why you are just giving them money.

Sorry, I should have said gift. I was planning on doing $10 gift cards to Starbucks or iTunes.

I think gift cards are nice. I lean towards Starbucks or even Chipotle. or even Amazon. Don't do iTunes.

That said - you definitely don't need to tip them but they're kids/college students with not much money and would definitely appreciate it. If you have the money, go for it.

So should I send in a bunch of $10 gift cards with 6yo DS and let him distribute to his favorite counselors?

Camp has kiss and ride style drop off and pick up.

No. Forget it. Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've got two kids who are camp counselors. Even for those really expensive camps, the money goes to the family that owns the camp, not my kids. (I suspect a lot of it also goes to liability insurance what with all the horseback riding, climbing towers, boats, swimming, etc.) My kids make about 200 dollars a week working 24/7 at a sleepaway camp full of really rich kids. Did you know that after your kids have been sent home on the buses the counselors fight over the designer clothes that have been left behind in various lost and found bins? Often that's their tip. So yes, if you can afford it, tip them. My son spent the summer changing and washing sheets for a kid who wet the bed every night. In that situation, you should definitely tip.

If your kid is looking for a summer job to make money, he should wait tables or work at an ice cream shop. You don't become a camp counselor to make $$$, and having already shelled out multiple thousands to send my own child to camp, I don't appreciate the shakedown by the parent of a kid who chose to take such a job for the summer.

+1000 Tipping should be based on the service provided, not on the fact that the employer is not paying enough. If it bothers you that your kids aren't making any money, either start a movement to increase their pay, supplement it yourself, or tell them to get a different job