Family gameplay has always been my favourite kind of gameplay in The Sims and in many ways, Sims 4 has made it even better for me. With the introduction of the Parenthood Game Pack and the parenting skill, I’ve had even more fun with my families!
*Mods I Use*
- Better Babies & Toddlers ~ This is a lovely mod because it adds a large selection of new interactions and moodlets surrounding being parents. There’s a lot of detail packed into the mod, including Sims debating on going back to work or breastfeeding their babies. Also lovely for Sim parents to have discussions with other Sim parents.
- Milestones ~ This one’s lovely for a variety of age groups because it features key milestones for your Sims. These include teething for toddlers, cliques for children and puberty stresses for teens. There’s even some features for menopause and midlife crisis for your older Sims!
- Chat Pack ~ One of my favourites, this mod adds some lovely and meaningful interactions to your Sims. My sim parents are frequently using the ‘Nag’ interactions on their adult children and it does make for some interesting discussions. Many of these interactions feel like they should already be in the same and they fit seamlessly into my gameplay.
- Character Values Overhaul ~ This is a major overhaul of the character value system in Parenthood. The mod pushes all traits in the game to impact the character value system and updates the character value traits to have a deeper meaning on the Sim’s personality. This mod is a major game changer for family gameplay!
- Education Overhaul ~ This is a huge overhaul of the school system, including the addition of pre-school, field trips and a reworked Education career. There’s also some school milestones, including parent’s evenings, school dance etc.
- Memorable Events ~ This mod includes over 40 new social events! I frequently use it for family get togethers, including Meet The Baby, Family Gathering, Housewarming Party, Meet My Partner and Pregnancy Announcement, to name a few.
*Gameplay*
I like having my families spend time together. Not all the families are harmonious; in fact the De Luca family is frequently anything but! However, I like having family get togethers and use them for a variety of reasons, which I will list below.
- ❤️Birthday Parties❤️ ~ Not only do I like to gather the family together for genuine, age-up birthday parties but also for non-aging birthday parties. For this, I use the Half Birthday from the Memorable Events mod and invite all the family.
- 🧡Housewarming Parties🧡 ~ I did this for Jared and Andrea when they moved to Evergreen Harbour and it gave them an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with each other’s families ahead of their wedding.
- 💛Seasonal Events💛 ~ Christmas is the most likely and I’ve done this several times. For Christmas, Year 2, I had Erica and Alexander staying with Jared and Andrea to celebrate the festive season with them. In Year 4, Daisy visited Hollie and Ethan to celebrate the holiday. I also have my Sim families celebrating other holidays together, like Easter and the Summer Bank Holiday.
- 💚Visiting💚 ~ This is the most common get together; an informal visit. Ryan frequently visits the family home, although he and his father have a strained relationship these days. Jared, Riccardo and Zoe are also frequent visitors to their family home.
- 💙Days Out💙 ~ Getting the extended family together for a day out can be challenging but it’s always worth it. Hollie and Ethan invited her sister and brother-in-law, Daisy and Gerald, to a beach trip with little Jenna. They give great opportunities for toddlers and children to meet grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
- 💜Family Events💜~ Last but certainly not least are Family Events, such as weddings and meeting babies. Jared and Andrea had both their families present for their wedding in Brindleton Bay and they did the same again when they had their daughters.
The Daily Plumbob 