kids won't return home from school :(

First, make a back up of your Sims 2 folder. This is just in case what is tried further on breaks the save. You can return to where you started today.

Have you tried moving them to a completely new lot? You'll have to rebuy furniture when you end up moving them back if it works, but it beats missing kids.

Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

"EgonVM;c-16598329" wrote:

"Cinebar;c-16596009" wrote:
Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

What? I am suggesting that the player resets their sims. Deleting sims with moveobjects won't delete them but resets them. Sims in the household will reappear next to the mailbox and sims outside the household can come back and aren't gone in their household. I use that method if my sims cannot go to work (go to work actions disappears immediately) or cannot go to class (Goes to class, immediately comes back).
(Players delete sims with moveobjects cheat most often in The Sims 1 as it fills up all the needs)
But messed up portals seems possible in that case.
It seems like the player has to move their sims out and move them to the different lot or rebuild the house and move them there. It is possible to keep the furniture by putting them in the inventory, which I recommend as some objects may get lost otherwise.

I don't think it will work anyway since they aren't on the lot to grab in order to delete. So whether or not deleting Sims with moveobjects on is safe or not is not going to affect the solution to the OP's problem.

"EgonVM;c-16598329" wrote:

"Cinebar;c-16596009" wrote:
Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

What? I am suggesting that the player resets their sims. Deleting sims with moveobjects won't delete them but resets them. Sims in the household will reappear next to the mailbox and sims outside the household can come back and aren't gone in their household. I use that method if my sims cannot go to work (go to work actions disappears immediately) or cannot go to class (Goes to class, immediately comes back).
(Players delete sims with moveobjects cheat most often in The Sims 1 as it fills up all the needs)
But messed up portals seems possible in that case.
It seems like the player has to move their sims out and move them to the different lot or rebuild the house and move them there. It is possible to keep the furniture by putting them in the inventory, which I recommend as some objects may get lost otherwise.

I'm sorry, you are right. I have a few loose marbles rolling around lately. I was thinking force error/delete..no. :)

ETA: OP if this hasn't been solved try using the move objects cheat to move the mail box to the other end of the lot out next to the sidewalk to see if that knocks out anyone stuck in the invisible portal. Maybe the bus can arrive if the mailbox is placed back where it belongs (if moved first) or to another spot since the mailbox is the route they must take to 'arrive'.

ETA: Or all of this:

http://modthesims.info/t/301966

I would download the ffsdebugger or batbox mod as its known from pesacdo and do an error for all off world loiters which will bring them back. Make sure testingcheats isnt enabled. Or download the sim blender or sim manipulator load another household and teleport the sims there and move them in and then delete them with moveobjects

That's weird. If you have this problem with one household, try reseting the sims by "Move Objects Deletion" way (I named that way...).
1) Press Control+Shift+C
2) Enter this cheat:

moveObjects on

3) Go to buy or build mode.
4) Click on the children and delete them.
5) Save and exit. Return to the household and the children will be next to the mailbox.

Or try what @Seera1024 suggested. Put all the furniture in your sim's inventory and move your sims out and in. If this happens again, the problem may be with the lot. (Have you deleted the mailbox? It will cause issues)

"Cinebar;c-16596009" wrote:
Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

:D I agree it sounds like a portal issue. However it is safe to delete the sim using move objects on. This does not actually delete the sim, it simply resets them. Delete them, save, go to neighborhood, then back to the household. The sim you deleted will be standing by the mailbox reset. :)

"Cinebar;c-16596009" wrote:
Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

What? I am suggesting that the player resets their sims. Deleting sims with moveobjects won't delete them but resets them. Sims in the household will reappear next to the mailbox and sims outside the household can come back and aren't gone in their household. I use that method if my sims cannot go to work (go to work actions disappears immediately) or cannot go to class (Goes to class, immediately comes back).
(Players delete sims with moveobjects cheat most often in The Sims 1 as it fills up all the needs)
But messed up portals seems possible in that case.
It seems like the player has to move their sims out and move them to the different lot or rebuild the house and move them there. It is possible to keep the furniture by putting them in the inventory, which I recommend as some objects may get lost otherwise.

"Seera1024;c-16598879" wrote:

"EgonVM;c-16598329" wrote:

"Cinebar;c-16596009" wrote:
Don't delete any Sims in TS2! Try moving them to a different lot. It sounds like something has messed up your portals on that lot and it should be bulldozed after you move them somewhere else.

What? I am suggesting that the player resets their sims. Deleting sims with moveobjects won't delete them but resets them. Sims in the household will reappear next to the mailbox and sims outside the household can come back and aren't gone in their household. I use that method if my sims cannot go to work (go to work actions disappears immediately) or cannot go to class (Goes to class, immediately comes back).
(Players delete sims with moveobjects cheat most often in The Sims 1 as it fills up all the needs)
But messed up portals seems possible in that case.
It seems like the player has to move their sims out and move them to the different lot or rebuild the house and move them there. It is possible to keep the furniture by putting them in the inventory, which I recommend as some objects may get lost otherwise.

I don't think it will work anyway since they aren't on the lot to grab in order to delete. So whether or not deleting Sims with moveobjects on is safe or not is not going to affect the solution to the OP's problem.

^^ Very true! :D