Tips

[Dave]

Do parents of campers in your camp give out tips to the counselors? They do in our camp. They're usually pretty nice too, since it's an expensive camp to go to. For senior counselors in our camp, the average is around $25. Junior counselors' average is about $15-20. Counselor assistants (the rank below JC) is $10. CIT's get $5. These are just averages. Some parents give more, some less.

[simdude]

considering I've never been a camp counselor I have no experience with tips. I hope to get some though this summer!!

do you have any advice on how to get more than average tips?

[~Imp]

We don't tip in NZ.

[camper]

tips are not allowed at my camp for the sole reason that you would not believe how far some of these parents will go to get their child "special treatment." most of our kids come from upper middle/upper class families, so the no tipping rule is a good one. we do allow gifts though...i get great presents from my campers' parents haha. a few coach bags have been my favorites. although tipping is not allowed, parents try it anyway. the counselors are instructed to decline it but if its forced upon them, just take it and give it to my mom to send home to the parents.

[audur]

We aren't allowed to accept tips either, which I think is a good rule. We can't accept expensive gifts either - if it's a Starbucks gift card, or a thing of chocolate it's alright, but nothing more than that. I'd feel really uncomfortable if a parent tried to tip me!

[Dave]

At out camp it's the norm to get tipped on the last day of camp. And in our camp the parents themselves don't tip, they send the money to camp with their kid and let the kid give it to us (which they do).

[Indigo]

We also have a no tips rule, but sometimes the parents bring treats or something when they pick up their daughters on the last day. Once we got sodas and candy bars. Another mom brought us sample bottles of lotion.

[Dave]

I'm surprised so many camps have a no-tip policy. That's how we make like half of our money over the summer. I'm not saying I'm in it just for the money, but that shows you how little we get paid yet we still love working there. :)

[camper]

the no tipping policy is an aca policy, but not one that a lot of camps HAVE to impose. i think most day camps allow tipping b/c it's a different kind of situation- the kids are going back home to the parents at the end of the day. at sleepaway camps, you're in charge of the kids 24/7. plus, it gets ridiculous...1 parent tried to tip her daughter's counselor and every counselor that had something to do w/the child last summer...including her swim instructor and the tennis staff...$100 each. it was crazy!

[Dave]

In our camp, unless the specialist do an amazing job, just the counselors and bus counselors get tipped. And I can understand tipping not being allowed in an overnight camp. If the kids don't write letters or whatever, the parents don't really know how well of a job the counselors are doing. Most parents who tip in our camp base it on how well the counselors did.

[rockinsmiles]

i guess working at an overnight camp then explains why ive never heard of tipping.

[collissimon]

I work at a sleepaway camp, and the parents are actively encouraged to tip us (I Think!) as they know that the hours we put in is not reflected in our pay packets. I can't really criticise tipping, as it allows me to come back year after year, especially when the US dollar is so weak!!

[melon4382]

We are allowed to accept tips at my camp but not many parents give them. There are an occasional few who give tips. Most usually give food or some other type of present or a card as a thank you.

[Flukie]

No tips - not that it stops staff from taking it sometime. Technically, if forced upon them, it is supposed to go to the Director to be added the banquet fund. Doesn't always happen.

We do encourage parents that want to do something to make cookies or write a thank-you note that all the unit staff can share together. Last summer, we took a camper to the hospital with a severe asthma attack. Her mother returned her and a full sheet cake to camp to thank the staff for responding so promptly.

[Dave]

After reading about how most of your camps don't allow tips, it makes my camp seem greedy. They not only encourage tips, but on the last day of camp every bunk has a bunk party and we ask the campers to each bring in food. Hehe. But surprisingly the parents don't mind.

[camper]

are you guys sure your camps ENCOURAGE tips? they might allow them, but that doesn't mean they encourage them. i might be totally wrong, but just a thought haha.

[Dave]

I'm not sure if they encourage them, but they have a page on the website all about tipping. I can't find the page right now, but when I do find it I'll post the link.

[collissimon]

I think because we have such a large no. of international staff [we have less than a dozen US Staff each year], the Admin staff realise that it costs us quite a bit to be there [my first two years I just about broke even], and because of this I think they do encourage tipping to try and cover our costs.

[Dave]

Okay I found the information about tipping. It's located in the Parents Brochure.

STAFF RECOGNITION
What is an appropriate way to thank the
staff that took care of my child this summer?
While tipping is certainly not required, we do suggest that
tips are an appropriate way to recognize those staff
members who have contributed toward the success of
your child’s summer experience. Below is a guide that
may be helpful.
Senior Counselor ....$25-$35 Bus Counselor ....$10-$20
Junior Counselor .....$15-$20 Bus Driver...........$10-$15
Counselor Assistant .$10-$15 CIT ....................$ 5-$10

[camper]

dave that's really interesting...i guess your camp does encourage tips. cool!! haha but if i read that as a parent i would feel obligated to tip...are there any parents that don't or just verbally thanked you or wrote a letter or something?

[Dave]

Last summer, 3 of our 12 kids didn't tip. One of them we understood though. Because supposedly they were broke. We knew this for a while, but found out for sure on the last day of camp. As I said, every kid had to bring in food for the bunk party. Well this one kid didn't bring in anything. One of the counselors in my bunk goes to the JCC before camp (which is where a lot of kids go before camp). This kid and his parents were there. The counselor asked why they didn't bring in any food and the parents replied that they couldn't afford it. So if they're telling the truth I can understand them not tipping.

Then there were two other kids who just didn't tip at all. No reason. And to tell you the truth, at our camp the kids seem to feel left out if they don't have tips to hand to the counselors because just about everyone tips. Even the other kids will ask them why they didn't give us anything.

[CAMPFRIEND]

You can not get at a ymca camps!!!
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[KiwiCRB]

Wow we are absolutely not allowed to accept tips. I think it's like grounds for firing. I think this is in the parent guide so i've never even heard of anyone trying.

[camper]

yeah dave that's exactly one of the reasons no tips are allowed at my camp...b/c it creates competition between the kids for whose parents tip the most money. of course, we have it with gifts, but the kids tend not to know how much the gifts cost and really only2-3 kids in the bunk will give gifts on visiting day.

[collissimon]

I suppose there isn't the competition because it's all done very quietly. Tips are given in a card or via a handshake. In our Unit they are also all pooled, so because I handed it all over straight away, I didn't know who gave what which was quite nice!

[Dave]

Our tips usually come with cards as well. (The cards the kids sign themselves are the best!) I love seeing their really big letters. Sometimes the kids write the entire card, which is even nicer.

[martha27]

we were never allowed to accept tips, which i agreed with. it would create certain issues which wouldn't be good for the bunk. the odd cookie cake or sweets was always just right. what meant more to me were notes written, drawings/pictures and little things made for me. i still have them ALL :)

[Dave]

I save all of my cards and everything as well. I like to look at them over the winter when I'm campsick. :P

[speedx5xracer]

My camp doesnt allow tipping however some parents conveintly left stuff with my name on it when they left on visiting day.

[KrazyPoolGirl]

when things come in the mail its hard to return it.......and when parents leave cards on your bed on visiting day, you don't know thats in them, until you open them, and that's usually after they leave and after they leave, its fair game!!!!

[Dave]

Those sneaky parents... :P If parents have to sneak tips, then maybe your camp should just allow it (not encourage, but allow).

[CPCourtney]

At the old camp I worked at parents were encouraged to tip the counselors. Depending on how long the camper stayed would sort of determine how much you got. The kids at the camp came from very well-off homes. My first summer I made out with a little over $1000 in tips and my second summer it was more. It does come in handy but isn't necessary.
The camp I am at now doesn't allow tipping, but that's fine. We all know we aren't in this business for the money!!

[Dave]

At the old camp I worked at parents were encouraged to tip the counselors. Depending on how long the camper stayed would sort of determine how much you got. The kids at the camp came from very well-off homes. My first summer I made out with a little over $1000 in tips and my second summer it was more. It does come in handy but isn't necessary.
The camp I am at now doesn't allow tipping, but that's fine. We all know we aren't in this business for the money!!
$1000?? :speechles Wow. And I thought the kids at my camp were rich...

[camplover86]

No tips at our camp, but i don't think it has ever been a problem.

[Skater Bubbles]

No Tips at Y camp! But if they do try to tip us we can tell them to give it to our director and they will put it towards our staff banquet.

[CAMPFRIEND]

I think that if my camp had tipping of any sort I would feel bad for the parent who could not tip. I have gotten a lot of thank you card from campers and parents. I hang them in my office!
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[Dave]

I save all of my thank you cards as well. I love looking at them over the winter. The cards that the kids sign themselves are the best.

[who_stole_my_loofa]

Tips are not encouraged at my camp and we tell all the parents that it is ACA policy not to give them.. but my camp always makes the statement to counselors that if they offer it, you should just be gracious and accept it. Some parents feel like it is an insult if you don't take the money. A lot of parents give gifts or gift certificates. I can't say wether it is truly wrong or right to accept them- but I know I certainly do accept them and don't feel guilty about them. Last summer I made about 600 dollars in tips between the 2 session. That money was definitely well spent: I put it in my savings account.

Loofa

[Dave]

That's where my tip money goes as well. ;) I don't make $600 though. :(

[EchoLaker]

Like some of the posters in this thread, we are not allowed to accept tips and it is in our contract that it is a grounds for firing, and it is written also in the parent handbook as follows:


Gratuities: There is NO TIPPING at Echo Lake. Our staff is aware of this rule and
knows that anyone accepting “tips” will be dismissed from staff.


Our parents therefore often make other gestures of appriciation; offers of accomodation if we're travelling and happen to be in the area; and the likes.

[speedx5xracer]

Our parents therefore often make other gestures of appriciation; offers of accomodation if we're travelling and happen to be in the area; and the likes.

I have been offered accomodations (most of my campers were from NY or NJ where i have family any way), Babysitting opertunities a job at a hotel working for my campers grandfather (where i was this past week) and even an internship that is good for my major.

[Dave]

I've never been offered a babysitting opportunity, but if I ever am offered one I'll do it. This is another thing non-camp people don't understand. I tell my friends that I'd like to babysit kids from camp and they ask me why I'd do a "girl's jpb." Some people just don't understand the satisfaction you get when you work with kids.

[CAMPFRIEND]

I have parents ask me all the time if I or my staff can babysit their children. A little extra money never hurts.

[camper]

we are not allowed to get tips, like i mentioned previously...but i did get a VERY generous hanukkah gift from a camper's parent a couple of weeks ago and the parent said, "well we never get to give you anything in camp and...happy hanukkah!" i obviously went through the whole "this is completely unnecessary" thing, but they wouldn't let me give it back. when i asked my mom if it was ok for me to keep it she said, "we're not in camp right? then accept it as a hanukkah gift" haha coming from someone who would be VERY upset if i accepted a tip.

[Dave]

That's cool, camper. It's funny how the parents really seem to want to give you guys tips, but they not allowed.

[camper]

yeah...it's always hard to tell if they are giving you money b/c they genuinely like you and care about all the hard work you do or if they're giving it to you b/c they think you'll give their kids special treatment. of course also there's always the possibility that they are just trying to show off how much money they have by giving a big tip...sounds kind of sick but it's probably true of some parents. in this case i think the parents are truly appreciative though. whatever, i'm treating all kids the same regardless.

[who_stole_my_loofa]

I've never gotten a tip at the beginning of the season or during parents weekend- I think most parents are looking to give you a special treat for taking care of their kids or because they know we don't get a lot of money. I don't think the parents are looking to give their kids special treatment- at least at my camp?

[camper]

really loofa? visiting day is when most parents tip at our camp.

[who_stole_my_loofa]

yeah - most of my tips came on the last days of camp in the mail, during a handshake, or a few days after camp ended in the mail!

[collissimon]

We get most of our tips during Parents Day, and then a lot of them are posted in the last week of the season. We usually get them in little cards, so you can't see how much they have given you (if anything), and so it isn't a competition between parents. I wouldn't put it past some of them though!