2018 Holiday Tips Survey: The Results are IN!

• Urban living has its costs. Having a full-time nanny, dog walker, parking attendant and living in a doorman building with a super will cost you around $1900 extra if you tip the average amount as holiday gifts this holiday season.
• Show gratitude with more than just money. One in three (34%) are giving something more than cash (homemade cookies, treats, wine) to their service providers. As is human nature, appreciation and recognition feel wonderful so going beyond a monetary gift is always appreciated.
• More than 9 in 10 (93%) nannies receive a monetary bonus around the holidays. The standard holiday bonus is a week’s pay.
  • Caveat: If your nanny hasn’t been working a year then you can give less (e.g., ½ week’s pay if they worked only 3 months) but do let the nanny know if you plan on giving more next year.
  • ALSO: Don’t assume a week off without pay is something that your nanny will appreciate. If they are available to work - and you give them time off without pay -  most would rather work for pay than miss out on money to support their family.
• Daycare and preschool teachers feel the gratitude. The most frequent monetary amount for head teachers is $50 and $25 for secondary teachers. Unlike K-12, parents typically give separately with two out of three (67%) giving an individual gift only.
• Power in (organized) numbers. About nine in ten (88%) parents with kids in K-12 students contribute to a class gift. The most frequently given amount to these teachers is $20 but 45% give more than that amount (most frequently $25 or $50).
• Thank the little people. A kind gesture to the folks that support your life (e.g., crossing guards, lunch staff, accountants, after school staff, tutors, and therapists) need to feel appreciated too!

DETAILED FINDINGS:

Personal Neighborhood Service Providers:

Home Related Providers	Average Tip/Gift	Mode*
Superintendent	$122	$100
House Cleaner	$109	$100
Daytime Doorman	$106	$100
Dog Walker	$100	$100
Occasional Babysitter	$121	$100
Nighttime Doorman	$80	$50
Porter	$70	$50
Hair Stylist	$60	$50
Parking Attendant	$51	$40
Package Delivery (non-USPS)	$28	$20
USPS Mail Carrier	$25	$20
New York Sanitation Department Garbage/Truck Recycling	$24	$20
TOTAL	$896	--

*most frequent amount 

Daycare, Preschool, and K-12 Teachers*

• Almost everyone (88%) give as part of a class gift to their K-12 teachers.  Some parents use websites and apps like Frumus, Venmo, Payit2 and Signup Genius to organize and pool donations.

*most frequent amount 

Is it against the DOE to give teachers’ gifts? NO. The Department of Education K-12 teachers can receive gifts. Department of Education policy states: “Teachers may accept class gifts as long as parents are not asked to contribute more than a small amount of money towards the gift and all parents are given an opportunity to sign the card, whether or not they contribute to the gift.” Gifting too much, however, could get your teacher in hot water so avoid that!

*Learn more about holiday gifts for teachers, including do’s and don’ts, in the Park Slope Parents’ website article,How to Thank Teachers at the Holidays & End of the Year.

Nannies

• Virtually everyone (98%) use the holidays as an opportunity to give a yearly bonus or gifts.
• 80% of employers give amounts incremental to a week’s pay. Of these, 84% give a week’s pay, 15% give two week’s pay, and 1% give three week’s pay.
• The average end-of-year bonus a nanny will receive is $765.
• Almost half (47%) of Brooklyn families with a nanny also give a non-monetary purchased gift as well as a bonus. 

 Range $50 - $4000

METHODOLOGY:

408 responses were collected from November 16 - December 5th, 2018 via an online survey program (surveymonkey.com). The survey was distributed online through the Park Slope Parents website, their email groups and social media outlets, online blogs, and other online parenting/ neighborhood groups. The results are based on tips and gifts in Brooklyn only.

ABOUT PARK SLOPE PARENTS

• Park Slope Parents (PSP) is a community in Brooklyn, NY of more than 6,500 local families who offer each other support and community throughout the parenting experience.
• PSP online resources include a public website with member reviews and parenting advice, online forums including an Advice List (exchanging information about parenting and community issues), a Classifieds list (a local buy/sell/trade group for swapping kid gear and finding nannies), and a Career Networking Group which connects parents to jobs and professional resources. It also has over 75 subgroups including pregnancy and new parent, dads, working moms, bilingual, LGBTQ, industry-related career, cooking, gardening, allergy, vegetarian and more.
• PSP offers offline, in-person events including parenting workshops, clothing swaps, community fundraisers, and networking events.
• PSP partners with nonprofits such as the Brooklyn Family Justice Center, Little Essentials, Sheltering Arms, and Lantern Community Services to provide donations to those in need.
• PSP sponsors community events such as the Celebrate Brooklyn Concerts, Prospect Park Alliance events, and more
• Park Slope Parents is open to all parents in Brooklyn and requires an annual membership fee of $50 ($45 for renewals) to support ongoing services like this Holiday Tips Survey. Membership includes discounts to more than 500 curated local products and services.
• WE'RE EXPANDING!  ALL arents who live in Brooklyn can apply for membership here: http://parkslopeparents.clubexpress.com/