Hey there, I started baby sitting after school and on weekends when I was 12, and continued it untill I got married and got a full time job, so lets see thats 8 years of baby sitting. Now I have two of my own! I usually got tips around holidays and my birthday, or cards, or gift certificats. It depended on the family though, and how close I was to them. I also usually got tipped if it was a last minute job, or if I made special arrangements to be there when they needed me. So.....I wouldn't tip all the time, just on special occasions, if they have done an especially good job, or have gone out of their way for you. Showing appreciation for a job well done is never a bad thing, and if you take care of your sitter, they tend to do an extra good job :-)