When a parent gives you money to hold for the kid

[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,

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

LOL..well, I am sure your kids love to spend time with their friends. But Hell, I’m about to buy a second mini-van for my family of 5, lol. Not a one of my 3 hellions is ever going to door ding another vehicle because I need to coddle a fragile sense of my identity by driving a “cool” SUV. I love mini-vans for the space, the ease of entering, the comfort, no other justifications needed. Shoot, I might drive one for the rest of my life just the ease of loading groceries!

[Baconqueen13]

Typically I put their money in my purse in a plastic bag with their name on it. Pull it out for them to buy something with and then once the item is purchased they hand me back the bag and I return it to my purse.

[thunderkiss65]

I like the baggie idea. I would put each childs name on their bag, and then hand it to them when they want to pay for something. Let them be responsible for taking the money out or putting it back in and then take it back when they are through. That way they know they put it in there and all you are responsible for is holding on to it. That would be too much to count and keep up with for all those kids.

And good luck, I dont think I could brave taking on more than one extra child that isnt my own. Im sweating with anxiety just thinking about it lol.

[RedBottoms]

I like the baggie idea. I would put each childs name on their bag, and then hand it to them when they want to pay for something. Let them be responsible for taking the money out or putting it back in and then take it back when they are through. That way they know they put it in there and all you are responsible for is holding on to it. That would be too much to count and keep up with for all those kids.

And good luck, I dont think I could brave taking on more than one extra child that isnt my own. Im sweating with anxiety just thinking about it lol.

Yesterday it was me and 2 11 year old boys and 1 12 year old boy. I was very much outnumbered. For the party it will probably be me, DH and then 4 12 year olds and 2 11 year olds. Pray for us.

[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

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.

I can't do that. I can't have them going home to their mom saying they never had lunch. Even if its their fault-I just can't do that.I would end up paying for it myself and being pissed internally. Plus I am not having kids gorge themselves on cotton candy and slushies all day and then end up puking in my van on the ride home.

So they can hold the money themselves-but I am going to have to "mom" them some and be like
"Okay Sally, you already had popcorn and a slushie-you need to eat a salad or a corn dog or something -no more sweets."

Or "Okay Billy, you already bought a sweat shirt-you need to save the rest of that money for lunch"

I definitely will "mom" other kids if need be

[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.

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.

At that age, LOTS of kids can think through the predictable consequences of their actions. But some kids can't because they have never had the opportunity to do so. I'm not going to have kids in my care skipping meals for the sake of a teachable moment.

[RedBottoms]

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.

At that age, LOTS of kids can think through the predictable consequences of their actions. But some kids can't because they have never had the opportunity to do so. I'm not going to have kids in my care skipping meals for the sake of a teachable moment.

this. I can't do it. I am known by all the kids as the "Cool" and "Fun" mom so I can't be like "No you are going hungry" But I will be like "Okay Sally-that is enough candy-hand it over and you can have it when you are going home." And the kids are fine with me being like that. They respond well to it. They all love me. I think of myself as "Second mom" lol

[thunderkiss65]

I like the baggie idea. I would put each childs name on their bag, and then hand it to them when they want to pay for something. Let them be responsible for taking the money out or putting it back in and then take it back when they are through. That way they know they put it in there and all you are responsible for is holding on to it. That would be too much to count and keep up with for all those kids.

And good luck, I dont think I could brave taking on more than one extra child that isnt my own. Im sweating with anxiety just thinking about it lol.

Yesterday it was me and 2 11 year old boys and 1 12 year old boy. I was very much outnumbered. For the party it will probably be me, DH and then 4 12 year olds and 2 11 year olds. Pray for us.

May the odds be in your favor lol

[RedBottoms]

I like the baggie idea. I would put each childs name on their bag, and then hand it to them when they want to pay for something. Let them be responsible for taking the money out or putting it back in and then take it back when they are through. That way they know they put it in there and all you are responsible for is holding on to it. That would be too much to count and keep up with for all those kids.

And good luck, I dont think I could brave taking on more than one extra child that isnt my own. Im sweating with anxiety just thinking about it lol.

Yesterday it was me and 2 11 year old boys and 1 12 year old boy. I was very much outnumbered. For the party it will probably be me, DH and then 4 12 year olds and 2 11 year olds. Pray for us.

May the odds be in your favor lol

[thunderkiss65]

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.

I can't do that. I can't have them going home to their mom saying they never had lunch. Even if its their fault-I just can't do that.I would end up paying for it myself and being pissed internally. Plus I am not having kids gorge themselves on cotton candy and slushies all day and then end up puking in my van on the ride home.

So they can hold the money themselves-but I am going to have to "mom" them some and be like
"Okay Sally, you already had popcorn and a slushie-you need to eat a salad or a corn dog or something -no more sweets."

Or "Okay Billy, you already bought a sweat shirt-you need to save the rest of that money for lunch"

I definitely will "mom" other kids if need be

Yikes! I couldnt do that either. Maybe just round out what lunch would cost for everyone and take it out that way. Thats pretty much what my kids school does for field trips. Say you go to a buffet and the buffet costs around $10/kid, I would automatically take $10 out and give them the rest in that case. Or just pay for them myself. I can live with them running out of money when it comes to games and things like that, but not food. Can you imagine that poor kid with no lunch while everyone else is eating around them?