When one child wants to go out and the other doesn't ?

[GymNovice]

What do you do?
Day trip. 9 year old wants to go to small local zoo. 7 year old wants to stay home. Yesterday MIL took them to the big zoo (2 hours on train, they were out 8-6pm). She had originally planned to go somewhere non-zoo, so I told DC I'd take them to local zoo, but changed her mind last minute.

I think your 7yo is possibly tired. Could you spend the morning at home and then do something this afternoon? Maybe not another zoo, but something of the 9yos choosing.

Already pre planned, so you all go and plan SAH day in the near future. I might see if the 9 year old has anywhere else non zoo like they fancied and switch if that was more palatable to the 7 year old.

Short of playing in the garden it's the only going out place nearby that I can get to right now (can't drive, walk far and it's on the bus route).
The thought of dragging a grumpy child round it does not fill me with joy!

7 year old is probably tired and the outings are too similar.

I have a reluctant child. It's taken me a long time to register his pace and processing ability and life is happier for it. He can't handle consecutive days out and needs chilling time at home. It's tricky for me as I'm more impulsive and get cabin fever easily.

Depends on the situation. In yours, they went to the zoo yesterday and were out all day so i wouldn't do the zoo again today anyway.

What about the park for a couple of hours, either morning or afternoon, and a film for the other? Gets you all out the house for a bit say the morning, for your energised child, and the tired one gets a sofa afternoon.

Or garden play if no park.

I think two very similar trips on two consecutive days are unnecessary, I wouldn't want to do that myself. Just explain that as they had a lovely trip to the zoo yesterday today will be spent at home, maybe a local walk to get some fresh air. Children really don't need constant 'entertainment' every day.

I have a 9 year old DS who goes manic if kept inside for more than a day, and a teen who hates going out and would spend the rest of her life in her room. Itsa constant battle. Sometimes she is obliged to come and usually enjoys it although far too stubborn to admit it other times if its more local she stays in and i take Ds out but i appreciate thats not an option for you OP. Could you possibly do a shorter trip?

Flip a coin

I wouldn’t want to go to zoos two days in a row and they had a really long day yesterday. Just park for a couple of hours is plenty.

This is mad, why would you go to a zoo two days in a row? You should just say no to the 9yo. Save it for another time

Surely there's something else on the bus route. Cinema maybe? I'd not go to zoos 2 days in a row especially with one tired child