I have been a camp owner in this town for the past 25 years. Over those 25 years, I have had the privilege of seeing generations of children come through our camp and of working with countless incredible staff members, including counselors and JCs.

As a camp owner, I do everything I can to pay my staff a fair and competitive salary while still trying to make a livable wage myself after years of hard work, responsibility, and investment. I’ve also had the unique opportunity to interact with parents from every socioeconomic background imaginable.

And yet, every summer I see something that is becoming increasingly difficult to understand.

When it comes time to tip the people who spend an entire month caring for our children, some parents suddenly become the biggest penny-pinchers.

I understand that everyone has expenses. I understand that times can be difficult, and I understand that there are legitimate reasons why some families may not be able to give as much as others. But let’s be honest: can we really not afford to tip the price of a schnitzel sandwich to the counselor or JC who spent an entire month taking care of our child?

What message are we sending when a bunk of 20 kids has only one or two families who tip their counselor or JC?

Our kids notice.

We teach our children all summer about hakaras hatov. We tell them to appreciate the people who help them. We teach them to say thank you. So let’s show them what that looks like in practice.

A $10 or $20 tip may not seem like much to many of us. But to a 17-, 18-, or 19-year-old counselor or JC who just spent a month working incredibly hard with our children, it can mean the world.

This isn’t about making anyone feel guilty or demanding that every family give the same amount. It’s about recognizing hard work and showing appreciation.

If we want our children to grow up understanding gratitude, let’s give them a real-life example.

Let’s appreciate the people who take care of our kids. Let’s show our counselors and JCs that we value what they do. And let’s teach our children that saying thank you isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we do.

Even $10-$20 can go a long way.

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