Families

The Sims 3 Guide - Life Guide

Families

Introduction

Starting a family in The Sims 3 is still a pretty easy thing to do. Pick your Sim and chat them up, using the guide above. It will probably take a few days to really get them on-side, but you shouldn't feel you have to wait too long before making any serious commitments – things move a lot faster in the game than in real life! It is possible to get along with most Sims in the game, regardless of personal differences – as long as you avoid offending them.

Of course, you can create a family when you first start the game, but sowing the seeds of a great family dynasty in the game is by far the most interesting way to go about it. To show that you are serious about a relationship, use the romantic conversation actions to progress.

Building up a steamy relationship is crucial if you hope to start a family.

Both of these can nudge your relationship into the world of romance, as opposed to the doldrums of friendship. If your Sim is rejected, change the subject and give romance with the target a miss for a while – they can start to think your Sim is a stalker if you persist for too long! Friendships can take a real hit if you don't accept how the other person feels early enough. Sure, you can try again, just not right away.

Once the relationship reaches the romantic stage, use more compliments, hugs and kisses to move it onto the next level: Love.

Use the Propose Going Steady action to make you and your love interest partners. At this stage, such a move rarely fails – just make sure you are on a role with romantic actions in the conversation before attempting it.

You can then Propose Marriage, and either Have Private Marriage (use the action on your partner) or Get Married (while at a party you have thrown) to make it official.

Having Children:

The best indicator that both parties want to have children come with Wishes – they'll tell you they want children. You can of course set it in motion as soon as the Try For Baby action appears in the menu (once one Sim thinks the other is Irresistible (in the top-left corner, Try for Baby and WooHoo actions open up). After this is complete, you will then (if successful, as indicated by a positive noise shortly afterwards) have to deal with pregnancy for a few days.

TIP: Having problems conceiving? There is a Fertility Lifetime Reward that you can buy from the Lifetime Rewards menu. This increases the chance of conception and of having twins or triplets.

Like in real life, pregnant Sims are prone to mood swings, depression, ecstasy and physical changes in their appearance.

Pregnancy Tips:

While much of what happens during the pregnancy, such as the number of children (i.e. twins or triplets), the traits of the baby and its gender are down to chance, there are some things you can do during the pregnancy to swing fate in your favour.

Twins and Triplets: Listen to children's radio and watch children's TV.

Boy or Girl: Eating lots of apples boosts your chances of having a boy, whereas watermelon does the same for girls.

Traits: Keeping the mother happy and reading the pregnancy books available at Divisadero Books (the mother and father may have wishes to read these too) allows you to pick the traits at birth. Depending on how well the pregnancy went, you can pick both, one, or none of the traits. Disastrous pregnancies will lead to negative traits being picked by the evil computer.

Having a baby may only take a few days in The Sims 3, but the experience will stay with your Sims for the rest of their lives – and the nature of the pregnancy will stay with the child.

TIP: Sims in the Medical profession can offer advice to mothers-to-be to help it all go more smoothly.

TIP: You can also adopt babies, children and teens in The Sims 3. Select the Adoption Service from the telephone's Services menu to start this off.

Age Transitions

Baby

Babies are pretty easy to look after in The Sims 3. The hardest thing is trying to keep your adult Sims happy while being woken up at very inconvenient times every night. Make sure you put the baby to sleep when it's tired, change it when it's dirty, and feed it when it's hungry. There is little else to worry about at this stage – babies can't really do much in The Sims 3, though you can play with it and give it attention.

TIP: Don't ignore your baby or the Social Worker may come round – they can even take your baby away!

The age transition from baby to toddler is one of The Sims 3's most remarkable moments.

Toddler

Toddler is the first really crucial stage in a child's development. As they can crawl around, toys come into play and can keep toddlers amused for hours. The main things you need to worry about at this point are:

Teaching your child to walk
Teaching your child to talk
Teach your child to use the potty

All three of these can be achieved using actions while interacting with your child. Unlike babies however, they do care about how much fun they are having – so make sure you buy them enough toys and give them plenty of attention.

The reason teaching toddlers the crucial life skills is so important is because it allows you to pick their third trait (the other two are picked depending on how well the pregnancy went, at birth). If you fail to teach the skills to your child, the chances are this third trait (which is then picked automatically), will be negative. Buy the First Step Potty Chair to allow potty training to take place.

TIP: Other Sims seem to enjoy interacting with toddlers as much as the child enjoys the attention!

Teaching a toddler the basics of life is absolutely essential for their success later on in life.

Child

School comes into play during the Child stage, and a parent's interactions begin to have a much greater effect on the child. Ensuring that your child does their homework allows them to get an A at school, and such high achievers can then pick their next Trait when the age transition occurs.

Children can now also make real friends. They can leave the house to visit friends, other lots, and of course school, and are able to look after themselves to a good degree. Children can also learn the Fishing and Painting skills.

TIP: Every stage in development is crucial to building up a healthy relationship with their parents.

Teen

The most unpredictable age, as many will attest to, teenagers in the Sims can take part-time jobs as well as suffering from all the responsibilities of a child at school. They can also learn all the skills in the game. Teenagers can have romantic relationships, though only to a certain extent. Once again, grades must be kept high to achieve the final trait choice.

TIP: A teen's rebellious streak can be nurtured by keeping them out after the 23:00 curfew.

Children and teenagers both have the responsibilities of school to deal with.

School

Teenagers are in school for one hour less than children, finishing at 14:00, making more time for the important part-time jobs and socialising. Students can also work on their homework at school, sleep in class and make friends while at school. By far the best way to get good grades, however, is to Work Hard and do homework at home and on time!

Children and teenagers can also get detention from cheating on homework or sleeping in class!

Much like jobs, children can receive and make the most of various opportunities at school.

Keep the good grades up and the child can make it onto the Honor Roll (three days of straight As). Doing homework every night using the book in the child's inventory is the biggest contributor to good grades. Failing to do so will see grades drop. Adults can also help children with their homework, and those with the Logic skill complete it quicker. If the development of your child was good, they will often do the homework voluntarily. Trying to get a disobedient child to do so is a great deal more difficult!

Young Adult and Adult:

Basically everything in this guide thus far is relevant to adults. There is nothing they can't do, but preparing for old age should be a goal after the Young Adult stage has been passed. Ensuring your Sim has a good pension, a supportive family and a good quality of life are all crucial for the next transition.

Retirement gives Elders the chance to appreciate the finer things in life.

Elder

Surprisingly, Elder Sims can do everything that adults can, including careers – so you haven't lost your chance to achieve that Lifetime Wish for your Sim once they reach this stage.

TIP: Use Life Fruits (eat them), Ambrosia (eat it) and Death Blossoms (keep it in your inventory to give to the Grim Reaper) to help keep away from death's door for a little longer.

Death is, naturally, the final stage of life, even in The Sims 3.

TIP: Change the aging speed in the game's menu to make each of these last much longer. Sometimes things move a little too quickly at the default speed to really enjoy.