Please help me tip camp counselors

Anonymous
This is the first year my kindergarten son has attended camps. He has attended a series of 1 week camps throughout the summer. Most of the camps are 3 hours per day for 1 week each. 6yo DS has had a fun experience and I want to send my gratitude. Problem is that he has had so many teachers. There are several weeks where he went to an AM camp and PM camp. He probably no less than 10 lead camp counselors and who knows how many younger college/high school counselors.

How would you go about tipping?

I do not know the names of the main or jr counselors.

Should I just send in a bunch of $10 Starbucks cards with DS and let DS distribute them? Is $10 an appropriate amount?

In the past, I have gifted his preschool summer camp teachers $25 each but these teachers were with him for the entire 6-8 weeks. I gifted his kindergarten teacher and assistant $50 at year end.
Anonymous
I would not tip them. If you're grateful, tell them that. Tell their supervisor that. They are already being paid to be camp counselors.
Anonymous
i was a camp counselor for several years in HS/college. no one ever tipped me or, to my knowledge, any of my coworkers. please don't make this a thing.
Anonymous
STOP THE TIPPING INSANITY!

You do NOT tip camp counselors.
Anonymous
I don't tip camp counselors because my daughter does about 6 camps in 9 weeks and we'd go broke.

I just tell them how terrific they were and how much my daughter enjoyed the camp, and will write a testimonial for the website if asked. And I recommend to all my friends, so the camp stays busy and successful.
Anonymous
I don't tip for a 1-week camp.
My son has done the same camp for almost the entire summer. I am tipping (gift cards) a few of the counselors he has spent a lot of time with over many weeks, and who have made it a great summer for him.
Anonymous
I think tipping a camp counselor would be very awkward. They are going to wonder why you are just giving them money.
Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
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.
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.


I mean this in a totally non-snarky way: if you don't even know who they are or see them, why send in the gift? That could get awkward leaving it up to the child and having some feelings hurt if counselors see some getting cards but then they don't get one too, you know?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
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.


I mean this in a totally non-snarky way: if you don't even know who they are or see them, why send in the gift? That could get awkward leaving it up to the child and having some feelings hurt if counselors see some getting cards but then they don't get one too, you know?


I think that's a great idea to give the 6 year old the gift cards and let him give to his favorite counselor or counselors.

Sure I think some other ones might get snubbed - but come on. Any camp counselor that feels bad about getting snubbed by a 6 year old has mental issues.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:This is the first year my kindergarten son has attended camps. He has attended a series of 1 week camps throughout the summer. Most of the camps are 3 hours per day for 1 week each. 6yo DS has had a fun experience and I want to send my gratitude. Problem is that he has had so many teachers. There are several weeks where he went to an AM camp and PM camp. He probably no less than 10 lead camp counselors and who knows how many younger college/high school counselors.

How would you go about tipping?

I do not know the names of the main or jr counselors.

Should I just send in a bunch of $10 Starbucks cards with DS and let DS distribute them? Is $10 an appropriate amount?

In the past, I have gifted his preschool summer camp teachers $25 each but these teachers were with him for the entire 6-8 weeks. I gifted his kindergarten teacher and assistant $50 at year end.


No, you do not tip camp counselors. You really think that it is appropriate for your kindergarten age son to distribute gift cards to the staff?? Are you kidding me? Why in the world would you think that it is appropriate to let your child take control of this. He is a child.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:This is the first year my kindergarten son has attended camps. He has attended a series of 1 week camps throughout the summer. Most of the camps are 3 hours per day for 1 week each. 6yo DS has had a fun experience and I want to send my gratitude. Problem is that he has had so many teachers. There are several weeks where he went to an AM camp and PM camp. He probably no less than 10 lead camp counselors and who knows how many younger college/high school counselors.

How would you go about tipping?

I do not know the names of the main or jr counselors.

Should I just send in a bunch of $10 Starbucks cards with DS and let DS distribute them? Is $10 an appropriate amount?

In the past, I have gifted his preschool summer camp teachers $25 each but these teachers were with him for the entire 6-8 weeks. I gifted his kindergarten teacher and assistant $50 at year end.


NO! This is ridiculous. I am an admitted over-tipper, over-gifter, and even I think this is crazy.

I agree with PPs - do not even start this. The reason why you can't figure out how to go about it is because you shouldn't. OMG.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is the first year my kindergarten son has attended camps. He has attended a series of 1 week camps throughout the summer. Most of the camps are 3 hours per day for 1 week each. 6yo DS has had a fun experience and I want to send my gratitude. Problem is that he has had so many teachers. There are several weeks where he went to an AM camp and PM camp. He probably no less than 10 lead camp counselors and who knows how many younger college/high school counselors.

How would you go about tipping?

I do not know the names of the main or jr counselors.

Should I just send in a bunch of $10 Starbucks cards with DS and let DS distribute them? Is $10 an appropriate amount?

In the past, I have gifted his preschool summer camp teachers $25 each but these teachers were with him for the entire 6-8 weeks. I gifted his kindergarten teacher and assistant $50 at year end.


No, you do not tip camp counselors. You really think that it is appropriate for your kindergarten age son to distribute gift cards to the staff?? Are you kidding me? Why in the world would you think that it is appropriate to let your child take control of this. He is a child.


This. Please don't put your 6 YO in charge of choosing who does and does not get gifts. At best, you can envision him brattily telling those who aren't getting one that they're not. At worst, it could cause him a lot of anxiety about which counselors to choose and causing hurt feelings.
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