I don't play multiple households, but I play multiple sims in the same household, with all of the sims in the household being special. For me to enjoy the Sims 4, I have to approach the game differently from the Sims 2 and 3, so I take advantage of the Sims 4's instantaneous travel.
I have my sims travel to other lots often (almost every sim day) based on the goals I set for each one and their schedules/the calendar. Generally, though, when the children are at school, I travel with the older sims/their parents, so mom and dad can run errands, go on dates, etc. Other times, I'll simply leave some sims to chill at home. The game isn't so fast-paced that I feel the need to have every sim be productive at every second. But if I were feeling that way, I wouldn't hesitate to extend their lifespans to long.
