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Author Topic: Parenting Guide  (Read 1860 times)

Offline Carl

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Parenting Guide
« on: September 16, 2009, 12:43:34 PM »
Pam and I have revamped the Parenting guide. I invite criticism of this work, and would love to see more people add tips to it. Pam's help went a long way, and I've got the guide split into the four childhood age stages. Have a look, let us know what you think and don't hesitate to let me know if I've goofed: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/skills/parenting/

Offline Kreathyr

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2009, 04:53:22 AM »
This is a nice Guide.
I've actually used it in preparation of my legacy challenge.
Just so I know how to raise a child in the sims 3.

Offline Carl

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2009, 09:08:41 PM »
Glad it could be helpful. Let me know if you learn anything new. Your legacy family sure has enough kids, you're sure to come up with some new tricks ;)


Offline Kreathyr

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2009, 04:35:08 AM »
Hehe, well.. you've covered the raising a single child perfectly.
I can only imagine I'll come up with tips on raising multiple kids.
Like get a potty for every toddler you have  ;), but I'll keep an eye out for any irregularities and the such.

Offline Carl

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2009, 02:27:37 PM »
Yeah it'll be when I do the surrounded by family lifetime wish that I come up with some tips for multiple kids, avoiding that one like the plague though.

Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2009, 08:17:17 PM »
Oh my, the 11th generation has just been born in my legacy family, so believe me...  I've raised so many kids!!  I have 4 cribs in the nursery and they have all been filled to capacity more than once!  I just love the toddler stage.  There are some really cute interactions with them, like chatting when they learn to talk.  I've got a potty chair on every floor of the mansion (there are 3).  Also have toys in the nursery, as well as in the living area and on the deck in the back yard.  One thing that can get annoying if you've got a full house is that all the adults try to take care of the babies at the same time.  They get tangled up in each other and the care for the baby gets delayed.  I often have to juggle the adults and cancel actions because they are all trying to change the baby's diaper at once.  It's also important to make sure the baby gets all its needs taken care of before putting him to bed.  Make sure he's been fed, cuddled, and has a clean diaper so they don't wake up cranky.  Adults also tend to put toddlers into the cribs way before bedtime.  The poor kid just has to sit in the crib for hours with nothing to do.  I try to cancel those actions or make them get the baby back out of the crib so he can play or read.  I've had to send the adult to do something else to keep them from putting the baby in the crib again. 

Anyway, sorry to ramble.  Lol.  If anyone needs help raising kids, I'll sure be glad to help!  :)
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Offline Kreathyr

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2009, 05:12:05 AM »
Well, I've got 2 children in toddler stage now.
Brandon won't be long to change into a child.

Can't wait to see the resulting adults for those 2.  Maybe they too will have many kids. (one of them must  ;))

Offline Kreathyr

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2009, 01:29:09 AM »
Here's an update from the fore-mentioned Brandon and David.
The advantage of having 2 children (or more, but multiples of 2 are best I guess)  is that they tend to make their homework together if they become friends.

The first thing I noticed was the kids relationship towards Mom and Dad are Full at start, but the relationship towards eachother is blank.
Like they only met once...  ???

So I immediately made them best friends and now they do their homework together, witch is almost twice as fast compared to doing it alone.
Maybe it should be tested further, but I think relationship between siblings has effect on homework and perhaps even school.

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2009, 08:59:59 PM »
In the Wishes guide [the brief section under Surrounded By Family] you say that you can't adopt babies, which is incorrect, you can.  I did in my Ladro Legacy.

Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2009, 12:29:46 AM »
In the Wishes guide [the brief section under Surrounded By Family] you say that you can't adopt babies, which is incorrect, you can.  I did in my Ladro Legacy.

Thanks for pointing this out.  We'll get it corrected ASAP!
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Offline RCHaynes

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2009, 02:18:52 PM »
Hi All!
Have been lurking for a few days gleaning information and stuffs. I really look forward to participating in a few of the challenges... but back on topic.
In the pregnancy section there are a few bits of information I have learned that I don't see here
  • Watching KidZ Zone increases the chance of muiltiple birth
  • listening to Kids music on a stereo increases the chance of muiltiple birth
  • both *really* increases this chance
Babies:
Give babies a Mr Schnugglesworth teddy bear to sleep with. The only benefit is a positive moodlet to offset any negs, and to bank Lifetime Happiness
Toddlers:
When you select the Peg Box or Xylophone and there s the red circle/slash next to Play (or is it Play With??) they can no longer gain points toward the Skills, though they can keep themselves happy
A dollhouse can keep the dreaded drop in Social satisfaction, a huge boon in families that have many children and few caregivers. I seem to recall that you can have more than 2 toddlers at once for each dollhouse.
Children:
Children who do homework with other children seem to finish faster (needs confirmation... this may be my experience only)

Giving babies and toddlers seperate rooms, even if just barely big enough for a crib keeps them from rousing everyone, and everyone from rousing them.

Offline Metropolis Man

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2009, 02:22:53 PM »

In the pregnancy section there are a few bits of information I have learned that I don't see here
  • Watching KidZ Zone increases the chance of muiltiple birth
  • listening to Kids music on a stereo increases the chance of muiltiple birth
  • both *really* increases this chance

That's really interesting, but is this just a "hunch" you have or did you do some serious testing?

Offline Carl

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2009, 02:36:22 PM »
They're right. This is something Pam tested for me, and I neglected to add it to the guide. Thanks for the kick in the pants. I believe using a combination resulted in a very good success rate at twins and triplets. Your other tips are going in as well, cheers!

Offline Metropolis Man

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #13 on: November 13, 2009, 02:45:45 PM »
Ha. That's really interesting and good info to know. The parents I had created for the Baby Boomer tourney both listened to Kids music and watch Kidz Zone all the time — I specifically picked them as favorites in the creation phase just because I knew the kids would be happier with that stuff playing as well. I had no idea about the effect on multiple births. Sheesh. Talk about going overboard. They both had fertility treatments as well. Can you imagine if that was real life? "Honey, I really want a large family." "I got that covered with Kidz Zone. I'll see you in the bedroom."

Offline Carl

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #14 on: November 13, 2009, 02:49:06 PM »
Lol Woohoo to the kids radio station. Yeah, sounds like a plan. At least it is possible to do both tv and radio at once.

Offline wildredchild

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2009, 05:27:11 PM »
"When you select the Peg Box or Xylophone and there s the red circle/slash next to Play (or is it Play With??) they can no longer gain points toward the Skills, though they can keep themselves happy"

This is incorrect.  The red circle/slash is in relation to traits that the Sim child has and not to do with gaining skill from it.  Every Sim toddler can earn traits from it for up to three times filling the learning bar above their head, then they can just play with it to keep happy.  I personally nailed this down during the Baby Boomer challenge.

Offline Carl

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2009, 05:35:58 PM »
fixed, thanks.

Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2009, 10:49:58 PM »
When you select the Peg Box or Xylophone and there s the red circle/slash next to Play (or is it Play With??) they can no longer gain points toward the Skills, though they can keep themselves happy

The only time I get the red circle/slash is when the toddler has a trait that counteracts the toy.  And honestly, it doesn't make much to me and I haven't been able to gather any solid proof.  But, for example, a toddler with the Genius trait will have the red circle/slash when I click on the peg box, which builds Logic skill.  It shows up even if the kid has never played with the peg box at all.  But even so, I can't figure out why a Genius wouldn't want to play with the peg box.  Even a Genius has to build Logic skill. 

As for being finished gaining skill on the toy, I don't ever see the circle/slash for that.  It still just says "Play."
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Offline RCHaynes

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2009, 12:14:55 PM »
Thanks for the correction wild... at the time I noticed it, I had 3 sets of twins being toddlers at the same time (Cyclon3 Sw0rd is apparently a machine... ) I thought that I had them playing a while, and they then got this that made me think they were 'done' on that apparatus. I could easily have mistaken a trait/skill mis-match with the abscence of learning meters overhead.
I so thought I had this theory nailed....

Offline e^(pi*i)

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #19 on: December 26, 2009, 02:28:47 AM »
Just read this... for clarification, will the apples/watermelon thing REALLY affect the gender of the child? How has this been tested?

Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #20 on: December 26, 2009, 03:14:47 AM »
Yes, apples really do cause boys and watermelon causes girls.  I've tested it many times, and Carl has tested as well.  What other confirmation do you need?
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Offline e^(pi*i)

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #21 on: December 27, 2009, 12:47:35 AM »
I just didn't know how much it's been tested. I totally love the guide and trust it fully, I was just curious basically how you figured it out. Was it just random guessing?

Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #22 on: December 27, 2009, 01:05:10 AM »
We had heard the rumors about apples causing boys and watermelon causing girls.  When I first found about this, I had been baffled as to why my Legacy Family had so many boys in each generation!  Then I realized that I had been feeding everyone apples as snacks because they are so easy to grow.  It certainly explained why I had so many boys.  As soon as I had pregnant mothers start eating watermelon instead, I started having girls.  I preferred girls, actually, because I think the toddlers are cuter than boys because of the little dresses they can wear.  Lol.  So, the last few generations of my Legacy Family are almost all female.  I've used this method with probably a 90% success rate when I want to have a particular gender.  For example, if the parents both want a girl, I feed watermelon and it works almost every time.

Carl did a little more of a scientific approach and tested by having a World Renowned Surgeon determine the gender of the unborn baby and try to change the gender by eating the opposite fruit.  I believe he was successful and he was able to confirm even further that apples will bring your Sim a boy and watermelon will bring a girl.  I think your pregnant Sim needs to eat at least three of the fruit to guarantee the gender.  Give it a try with your Sims and let us know how it goes!  :D
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Offline e^(pi*i)

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #23 on: December 29, 2009, 03:55:06 PM »
Great, that's awesome, thanks. I'll do it the SECOND I get an opportunity to, but, unfortunately, my sims never have luck in the opposite gender. At least half of my sims turn out gay. I like to start 'em off as bachelors. I guess I could try a couple.

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #24 on: January 17, 2010, 11:35:16 AM »
I think I read on here that you can only eat apples or watermelons early on to decide the gender. If that is the case, it is incorrect.

It is only set in stone if you have a level 10 medical doctor find out the gender. If you then watch loads of kids tv and eat the other fruit, you may get multi-gender twins as GRAYCURSE got (First Ever Sims 3 Legacy).
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Offline jmz95

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #25 on: January 17, 2010, 06:53:21 PM »
Okay, the thing about you have to feed the fruit to the woman before she starts showing is false, I think (don't quote me on it) you can eat it anytime during her pregnancy and the gender can still change.
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Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #26 on: January 17, 2010, 11:52:34 PM »
The information about the fruit determining the gender early in the pregnancy came directly from Carl's testing.  He did use a level 10 medical doctor for the tests, so perhaps that was a factor in the outcome.  I've had a lot of luck with determining the gender when my Sim eats the fruit all through the pregnancy.  She eats watermelon every meal, sometimes.
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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2010, 01:10:01 AM »
I think it all depends on if you have another method used - maybe he should try the multigender idea

Get Pregs
Have doctor tell gender
watch kids tv alot
eat the fruit for other gender

????
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Offline Pam

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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #28 on: January 18, 2010, 03:12:33 AM »
Actually, I can test that.  I just need to get myself a World Renowned Surgeon.  I'll see what I can do. 
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Re: Parenting Guide
« Reply #29 on: January 18, 2010, 12:21:54 PM »
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