I tend to wonder about the logistics of tipping camp staff, as well as the amount. What if it is multiple two-week long sessions? How do you tip people you never actually SEE? How much to the before and after staff? And the swim instructors? Do you tip at the end of the summer or at the end of each and every session?

Or (in the case of ski school over winter/spring breaks) if there is a different instructor every single day? Sometimes different in the AM than the PM?

$10/wk per counselor? Do you tip your child's classroom teacher that well?

I'm pretty sure the staff at DC's camp make more than minimum wage, FWIW.

For those working at sleep away camps, your compensation isn't just in dollars, but also the room and board. You aren't paying rent for the summer and your meals are provided. That is why your wages can be less than minimum wage. You probably can save more by the end of the summer than someone renting an apartment in DC and working in an office for the summer; those people are lucky to break even and not be in debt for the experience.

I guess I'm just a bit mystified by all this. I don't recall my parents ever tipping teachers or camp counselor.

Former counselor, we loved tips and you instantly became our favorite parents.

Why are people so against tipping? I know I can go into CVS and waste $25 on nonsense. If you have the means then say thank you with cash. If not then any manner of appreciation IS appreicated.
My mother tipped tha counselors, the bus driver and matron, the nurse as well as the swim instructor and riding coach (had extra sessions in each). It is customary in our family when someone takes care of our children and does a great job, we say thank you.
Now Im the mom and my sons first camp session is at the half way point - 6 Weeks - three counselors in his group, a bus driver and bus counselor. I shelled out $2500 for camp - bare bones, i provide lunch and towels. I know the counselors dont get paid @ min wage so why not say THANKS to those who took care of my child and gave me piece of mind? $25 a piece with a small gift and note seems appropriate.

My kids are in day camp all summer. I'm in Mont. Cty. I tip at the end of the summer. $10/week per counselor for the main counselors. So it works out to about $100 per counselor for the summer.

I'm a camp counselor, make far under minimum wage and work at a camp where tipping is supposedly "strictly prohibited." Let me tell you, that doesn't stop many parents from slipping me a couple bills.
I'm glad it doesn't—don't get me wrong, I love kids and am going off to graduate school for child psychology and education, but many a night I've chased kids through the woods, swam after them when they jumped out of the canoe, or snuck them an extra cookie after not cursing for an entire day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"tipping" quasi-professionals is a NYC thing. In fact, New Yorkers assume they're supposed to grease the palms of pretty much anyone who does anything for them while on the job, ever.

My best friend in NYC "tips" her child's teachers every Christmas, even though she is Jewish. She "tips" with cold hard cash the office staff at her internist. She "tips," again with several 20-dollar bills, her kid's speech therapist.

No need to start that nonsense here. On the one hand, who doesn't like cash? OTOH, it's degrading. Is a teacher with a Master's degree akin to a hotel bellhop? Not really.

You kid's camp counselor is not an exempted employee making under the minimum wage, is she?

Get a grip -- I said a NYC suburb -- not the city itself. Tipping is not a NYC thing because you have one friend who apparently has lots of disposable income. It is something that courteous people do for people they appreciate who have worked their ass off all summer with their kids (some of them not such great kids either!). I worked at an 8 week camp so maybe that makes a difference. It's just something nice to do and it doesn't have to be cash. It is truly the thought that counts!

And as far as the person in NY tipping at Christmas even though she is Jewish, would you tip all of your daycare workers except the Jewish one? Think about it.

What does tipping at holidays have to do with summer camp. I think the entire tipping with cash and expectations is overblown but to each their own. I'd probably do a small gift.

Anonymous wrote:"tipping" quasi-professionals is a NYC thing. In fact, New Yorkers assume they're supposed to grease the palms of pretty much anyone who does anything for them while on the job, ever.

My best friend in NYC "tips" her child's teachers every Christmas, even though she is Jewish. She "tips" with cold hard cash the office staff at her internist. She "tips," again with several 20-dollar bills, her kid's speech therapist.

No need to start that nonsense here. On the one hand, who doesn't like cash? OTOH, it's degrading. Is a teacher with a Master's degree akin to a hotel bellhop? Not really.

You kid's camp counselor is not an exempted employee making under the minimum wage, is she?

Get a grip -- I said a NYC suburb -- not the city itself. Tipping is not a NYC thing because you have one friend who apparently has lots of disposable income. It is something that courteous people do for people they appreciate who have worked their ass off all summer with their kids (some of them not such great kids either!). I worked at an 8 week camp so maybe that makes a difference. It's just something nice to do and it doesn't have to be cash. It is truly the thought that counts!

And as far as the person in NY tipping at Christmas even though she is Jewish, would you tip all of your daycare workers except the Jewish one? Think about it.

We tipped each of dd's 3 counselors $25 she was in camp for 5 weeks a day camp.

Yup, still under minimum wage. My DD was paid $4/hour last summer as a junior counselor and a little over $7 this summer as a full counselor responsible for a group of 20 kids. It is in the form of a stipend so they can pay under minimum wage. She just finished a 6 week camp and no tips/gifts. It is definitely not the norm, and may not be allowed, at her camp.

Anonymous wrote:"tipping" quasi-professionals is a NYC thing. In fact, New Yorkers assume they're supposed to grease the palms of pretty much anyone who does anything for them while on the job, ever.

My best friend in NYC "tips" her child's teachers every Christmas, even though she is Jewish. She "tips" with cold hard cash the office staff at her internist. She "tips," again with several 20-dollar bills, her kid's speech therapist.

No need to start that nonsense here. On the one hand, who doesn't like cash? OTOH, it's degrading. Is a teacher with a Master's degree akin to a hotel bellhop? Not really.

You kid's camp counselor is not an exempted employee making under the minimum wage, is she?

Don't know how things are now, but when I was a camp counselor, we were paid a flat rate for the summer, and yes, it was under minimum wage.

"tipping" quasi-professionals is a NYC thing. In fact, New Yorkers assume they're supposed to grease the palms of pretty much anyone who does anything for them while on the job, ever.

My best friend in NYC "tips" her child's teachers every Christmas, even though she is Jewish. She "tips" with cold hard cash the office staff at her internist. She "tips," again with several 20-dollar bills, her kid's speech therapist.

No need to start that nonsense here. On the one hand, who doesn't like cash? OTOH, it's degrading. Is a teacher with a Master's degree akin to a hotel bellhop? Not really.

You kid's camp counselor is not an exempted employee making under the minimum wage, is she?

I worked at an overnight camp out west and tipping was prohibited. Maybe ask the administrators if there is a policy?

I was a camp counselor at an all day camp when I was 16 (I am 41 now). I had 10 kids in my group -- received tips from all but one kid. The funny thing is, that kid was the worst behaved of all of them. It was an affluent area in NYC suburb so not about the money. I worked really hard and it was nice to be appreciated.

We didn't-- never even occurred to me. There's probably 4-5 threads on this already.

Are you supposed to and how much? I have a 5 yr old who has just started going to camp. We picked a few different ones for 1-2 wks at a time ranging from all day (one was bus) to a 2 hrs/4 day (tennis camp).

What is the etiquette here? We went to a school that explicitly said no individual gifts for teachers etc. so I didn't even think of it until now.

TIA.