With the update to add infants, why isn't there an update to lengthen the family leave? Infants added a full FIVE days to the baby stage, and Sims only get 3 days of leave. They used to get to spend some of that time with their toddler, teaching the toddler to walk and talk, but now they have to go back to work so quickly. It's made playing with an infant really obnoxious.
@rentaduckie11 You have my 'XP' and "Me Too" on that one... I think it would be a great idea to allow a longer maternity/paternity leave for both parents with the new infant stage and expanded time/development with them. 🙌
I make one of my Sims self employed after a baby arrives. I've mentioned this on another thread about poor results with nannies, etc.
I just use Register with Ministry of Labour and pick something they can do from home, like writing, knitting, crafting, painting. I get them a retail lot sometimes too. In fact with a high enough skill they can often earn more money from crafts, especially painting.
I totally agree!
it would be nice if sims could indicate how much parental leave they can take.
I've used two workarounds in the past to overcome this issue.
But yeah, an actual update would come in handy.
@simsplayer818 I love your ideas! Registering them with 'Ministry of Labour' for working from home is also a great plan! @OkayLazySim I have also used vacation days, and I love the idea of adding a holiday/vacation to the calendar to help out!
In my game, I either have one parent quit their job (usually after collecting all the family leave they can), then work/produce income/save expenses from home somehow... Or...I add an adult Sim (better yet a grandparent) to the household that I can have watch the infant/toddler while doing something from home (for productive income/time use). As @simsplayer818 stated, there are many options for working from home. I have also done the workaround method of living on a retail lot and having them run that. I enjoy the concept, and the ability to control how they use the time with the infant/toddler for care, relationship/social, and developing of skills.
@simsplayer818 Sounds like a bunch of great, creative ideas! I think we are likely similar in play-style. 🙌
For my recent save I had my Sim-self & hubby move in with their son and his wife (Summer Holiday), and both grandma and dil had a baby to test drive the infant addition and Growing Together. Grandma quit her job (painter) and paints from home, and after maternity leave Summer went back to work (didn't want to give up that hard-earned career with fantastic and short hours - Celebrity Chef). So... while everyone else is at work, grandma takes care of the infants and child. It worked out great!
In another save [where I moved them into the retail store with apartment above and did the workaround of them technically living at another small home and I 'bring here' (to the retail lot) children or working Sims after they return to the home so they sleep and stay on the retail lot] ... In that household I moved in their adult daughter who was unmarried, and she helped with both the store and childcare.
I love that about this game... I can create alternative options that work around things I don't prefer... like leaving them in daycare or with a nanny (whom I cannot control for working on their skills, etc.).
