When a parent gives you money to hold for the kid

[Lemons]

I would have bought the ticket with the money given him the rest to buy what he wanted including food.

what happens if he loses it though? I would end up buying his food then. I couldn't let him go hungry

I wouldn't worry about that. I guess if you know he's the type that would lose it you could hold it. You know him well enough.

[Anonymous 2]

I take an envelope for each.kid. I write their name and amount of money they each bring.
Everytime money is spent for each kid, I write it on the envelope. That way you can easily keep track of the.money

[Hot4Tchr-Bieg]

When I took kids places (and if I wasn't paying for the whole thing myself) I asked the kids to bring admission and I bought food. I started doing it this way after a couple of surprising experiences when I'd send kids to the snack bar with their own lunch money and they'd come back with 7 bags of Nerds, a giant candy necklace, and a 64oz Coke. Kids could still bring candy/souveneir money, but I bought food so that I could ensure they had ample opportunity to eat food.

In the situation you describe, I might have done it how you did (especially with Little Dude strong arming his way onto your outing). And I might have started out keeping track of his tally, but I lack attention span to keep that up all day.
In the end though, I would have sent him home with something in the ballpark of $5 change. If he comes home with nothing, his parents are going to want to know where it all went and Kid isn't going to remember everything or will under-report the cost of things. For the $5, I buy myself the benefit of the doubt with the rents.

[RedBottoms]

When I took kids places (and if I wasn't paying for the whole thing myself) I asked the kids to bring admission and I bought food. I started doing it this way after a couple of surprising experiences when I'd send kids to the snack bar with their own lunch money and they'd come back with 7 bags of Nerds, a giant candy necklace, and a 64oz Coke. Kids could still bring candy/souveneir money, but I bought food so that I could ensure they had ample opportunity to eat food.

In the situation you describe, I might have done it how you did (especially with Little Dude strong arming his way onto your outing). And I might have started out keeping track of his tally, but I lack attention span to keep that up all day.
In the end though, I would have sent him home with something in the ballpark of $5 change. If he comes home with nothing, his parents are going to want to know where it all went and Kid isn't going to remember everything or will under-report the cost of things. For the $5, I buy myself the benefit of the doubt with the rents.

that is part of why I also just don't want them having full control of it. They buy a bunch of slushies and popcorn and candy and toys and then have no money left for actual food and then I end up buying them a burger anyway. I don't want that

[LiveWhatULove]

We can never bring additional children. I barely age the confidence to assure my own offspring are safe, and shoot, extra money?? I can hardly hold onto my own wallet,

[leadfoot40]

12 is old enough to hold their own money. So its up to them to keep track .

[RedBottoms]

We can never bring additional children. I barely age the confidence to assure my own offspring are safe, and shoot, extra money?? I can hardly hold onto my own wallet,

I made DH buy me a fancy minivan so I have to justify that by taking other kids around lol

[Olioxenfree]

I ask the parent if they want me to hold onto it or not. If they say yes, it goes into a seperate envelope and I give it to them as they need it. Anything left over at the end of the day goes back to them, I am not pocketing some kids $10 and I would be pissed if someone took my change.
If the kids are that old and I am covering admission and basic food, I would tell them they need to keep track of their own money. If they lose their souvenir money, that's on them.

[madfoodie]

My dd is special needs. What we do for trips is put her name on an envelope. When she buys something her change goes in it.
Don't have to keep tabs on change but it is pain going through individual envelops in a large group.

[Olioxenfree]

When I took kids places (and if I wasn't paying for the whole thing myself) I asked the kids to bring admission and I bought food. I started doing it this way after a couple of surprising experiences when I'd send kids to the snack bar with their own lunch money and they'd come back with 7 bags of Nerds, a giant candy necklace, and a 64oz Coke. Kids could still bring candy/souveneir money, but I bought food so that I could ensure they had ample opportunity to eat food.

In the situation you describe, I might have done it how you did (especially with Little Dude strong arming his way onto your outing). And I might have started out keeping track of his tally, but I lack attention span to keep that up all day.
In the end though, I would have sent him home with something in the ballpark of $5 change. If he comes home with nothing, his parents are going to want to know where it all went and Kid isn't going to remember everything or will under-report the cost of things. For the $5, I buy myself the benefit of the doubt with the rents.

that is part of why I also just don't want them having full control of it. They buy a bunch of slushies and popcorn and candy and toys and then have no money left for actual food and then I end up buying them a burger anyway. I don't want that

At that age they can think through basic actions. If they blow their money on candy and toys and don't have enough for lunch, that is on them. I am not buying them things. One meal won't hurt them.