Thanks for the tip

You've probably heard the expression of my title, especially if you've ever watched a really old movie where the protagonist finds himself in a place where some stranger warns him about the rules of the place or the person he had better not make an enemy of. I had another interpretation in mind, though: a thank you for the tip of money given to camp staff. This is my oldest daughter's first year working at a camp. At the end of the first half she received a couple of tips. I told her she should write thank you notes to the parents who tipped her, and she did. The fact is that I do not ever recall getting a "thank you" from the counselors and such I tipped in my children's limited day camp experience, and I don't hold it against them. But I do think that a tip, though customary enough to be expected, should not be taken for granted. If parents do not tip or tip far below the "suggested amount" the camp offers, one is not within one's rights to bill them. Therefore, it is still a gift, and so should get a "thank you." Will my daughter gain anything by writing those notes? Probably not, as the note will be given after the tip amount has been determined. Nevertheless, as I've mentioned in other posts, one does the right thing just because it is the right thing.

And for others interested in expressing thanks, see the carnival on the subject hosted by Juggling Frogs at http://blog.jugglingfrogs.com/2008/07/gratitude-has-no-expiration-date.html