What does Parenthood actually change?

I do always feel like there is more they could have done with the pack, but I do enjoy it.

Toddlers to teens can have tantrums to mood swings. Children and teens going through certain phases at that as one of my child sims was going through a mean phase and would just constantly fuss and get into arguments with their sibling (sibling rivalry are a thing) or their parents, thus they'd usually get punished by either via time out or grounded one. Can also coach them through their moods in either talking them through it or getting them to channel it else where (like going for a jog to clear their head).

I did notice differences in the way younger sims act with the value system in place when they go a certain way (Getting bad grades adds to the way to being irresponsible for example). It really focuses more on parenting in which things can affect these sims, especially when coaxing them in certain directions be it good or bad. Here's a link to Carl's Sim guide all about the value system in parenthood and might give you some insight on the benefits of them.

https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/gamepacks/parenthood/values.php

And one for the parenting skill

https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/skills/parenthood/parenting/

:V Really overall good for people that are family players for sure.

Overall point of the pack is how parenting actually can be impactful on the sim when they get to be a young adult (because the added traits does affect the sim). It was definitely a lot more interesting in raising a young sim to see how they turn out with your help.

You can practically raise kids without directly controlling them, since you can influence them to take care of their needs, do their homework, do chores, cook and the like as well too.

Videos from LGR and Carl's Guide

https://youtu.be/9mLI6Sq4eFc

https://youtu.be/F8c3aUmTN2M

To be honest, I think it adds a lot of nice touches to Sims regarding familiar relationships and school routine.

It changes autonomy as their character values increases and/or decreases and also after they get the CV related traits. I noticed recently that some Sims with manners are setting the table constantly and responsible Sims do their homework and performe well at school. You will get phases that will add some moodlets and also change a little bit of autonomy. There's a lot of interactions that can lead to funny scenarios (e.g. I had Alex Goth and Mortimer eating breakfast and the context menu suggested me to "Argue about house rules" which made Alex and Mort argue repeatedly to a point that I thought the interaction bugged. Bottom line: both received an angry moodlet regarding stalemate discussion). Also parenting interactions between parents and their kids can lead to some funny situations too, mainly if you use its interactions to increase parenting skill (like scream to your kid to do homework when they are enraged by some crazy teen phase).

I love it and hate it all at the same time. I enjoy having the character values for my sim kids and teens. I do not however enjoy being annoyed with the same few random questions over and over again every single sim day by every single kid and teen that I play in my game. If I had an option to turn it off I would straight away and never turn it back on. I wish they would tone it down to just once or twice a week. It’s really obnoxious and spammy.

Just adding that certain character values will reward the grown up sim with extra traits, such as "Good manners". Such traits will add new options to what/how the sim can interact with others, like a sim with "good manners" can greet others shaking hands. I have not explored all possibilities, but I assume the other extra traits will add new options, too.

Because I play rotationally I don't stop long enough with each household to really focus a lot on parenting. That's probably why this pack is not in my top 5, but there are certain things that I use often, and it feels there is more to do for toddlers, children and teens.

"Sharonia;c-17761568" wrote:
I love it and hate it all at the same time. I enjoy having the character values for my sim kids and teens. I do not however enjoy being annoyed with the same few random questions over and over again every single sim day by every single kid and teen that I play in my game. If I had an option to turn it off I would straight away and never turn it back on. I wish they would tone it down to just once or twice a week. It’s really obnoxious and spammy.

Oh gosh I had to mod that out ?? it was a never ending train of questions from a household of teens. They would line up

I...like the question thing? Sometimes I min-max for the best character value, sometimes I answer based on what I think the parent feels like to me. -shrug-

It adds a lot for family gameplay, mainly the way the parents and children interact and how siblings interact. Parents can tuck in their child Sims, much like with toddlers in the basegame. Other Sims in the household can help the child with their school project. The child can work sloppily or carefully and completing school projects give a boost to their school performance.

Toddlers, children and teens have 5 character values which can become either a positive or negative trait when they age into young adults. These traits do impact their personalities. Responsible Sims will work hard at work and you may get a pop up asking you how they should spend their lunchbreak (go to the gym or work through the break), or what to do about an intern (assign them to coffee duty or give them an easy work task). Good mannered Sims can do a polite greeting (which gives a huge boost to the relationship) and will often set the table. My teenage Sim's manners are in range to receive the good manners trait and she's often setting the table whereas her siblings don't (their manners are not in range for good manners).

You can choose what kind of parents your Sims will be. You can decide to ignor bad behaviour, calmly repremand it, yell at your children, and even ground them. When you ground them you decide what privillage to take from them (no computer, no going out, no friends over, etc.)

Children and teens may ask an adult Sim for advice. This will result in a chance card where you decide how to respond. The school may also ring the parent (actually any playable adult in the house) and inform them of something that's happened with that child at school. You decide what the parent responds with. All chance card will raise 1 character value and lower another. As you progress through the parenting skill you get more options and can see how each option will impact the character values (high parenting skill for this one).

Teens will experience mood swings which are buffs of 50. They may become extremely sad, angry or embarrassed. This will make them enraged or mortified, but they will not die since teenagers no longer die from emotional deaths (however mods that give teens adult sim abilities may not protect your teen from this). They can wind down with classical music, go for a jog, or write in a journal to calm down.

Teens and children will go through phases that last a few sim days. A sim going through a mean streak phase will autonomously be mean to other Sims and a sim going through the loud phase will make a lot of noise.

When the Sim ages to young adult their relationshios with their relatives will have some unique descriptions. Mine all get along so I've only seen daddy's girl, Mummy's girl, World's Best Grandma, etc.

I tend to play with families. I play through the generations so this pack has added a lot for me. I really like the character values system and the associated traits, and the chance cards that impact these character values. What they do as children and how their parents raise them impacts how the child sim will turn out.

It adds useless popups like ask for advice and character values are always lost. It's always negative and that's why I don't play kids and teens anymore or I disable the pack. It added phases and kids get sad if you take the bear suit off. Kids and teens can now yell at parents and say forbidden words. Toddlers can bite parents. It also added mood swings that can kill your teenaged Sims immediately after landing on the sidewalk after school. IMO it's the worst pack ever! It adds drama that is much disliked by me. No teenager in real life has ever died of embarrassment because they got a pimple but they can in this game. Again, IMO worst pack ever!

"AnnLee87;c-17762111" wrote:
It adds useless popups like ask for advice and character values are always lost. It's always negative and that's why I don't play kids and teens anymore or I disable the pack. It added phases and kids get sad if you take the bear suit off. Kids and teens can now yell at parents and say forbidden words. Toddlers can bite parents. It also added mood swings that can kill your teenaged Sims immediately after landing on the sidewalk after school. IMO it's the worst pack ever! It adds drama that is much disliked by me. No teenager in real life has ever died of embarrassment because they got a pimple but they can in this game. Again, IMO worst pack ever!

As was pointed out in the response above yours, Teenagers don't die emotional deaths with Parenthood installed. So teenagers won't die from a pimple (that and breakouts are Tense, not Embarrassed...)

As for the ask advice - yes, every option raises something and lowers something else. It's a balance for what traits do you value for your kids (some traits are easier to raise than others, so I choose those.)

I mean, if you don't want to play with the pack, that's fine and your choice. I'm just pointing out where your critiques are either inaccurate or unbalanced.

Personally, I'm glad I got Parenthood. I like trying to work on my Sim kids' Empathy while not letting their Manners drop too low. I like the changes in kids behaviors as they work through their phases. I like having their parents try to help them through those moods. And I like that when they age up with the Responsible trait, their daily task is automatically done.

Do I have some annoyances with the pop-ups? Yes, especially when the school calls someone who isn't the actual parent. (Seriously, his Brother-in-law isn't the person to be calling when the teenager is in trouble.) But it's rarely to the point where it gets in the way of my fun.