I create two sims. A female and a male. I play the female and have her meet and fall in love with her preordained soulmate. :) They get married and start raising a family. I only play this family and all of the other sims in my neighborhoods are basically background sims that I never play. My game play style is goal oriented and to that end I usually have the parents complete all careers and aspirations. Once the kids age up I move them out and into their own homes. While there is a lot of contact with their siblings and other relatives I rarely play the offspring except to have them marry and start their own families. I play with aging off.