Enough with Mean Streak!

AllieSootie

I don't know if I am doing something to cause this myself, or if it is just random but mean streak is my least favourite childhood phase (they all annoy me a little bit, but mean streak is the worst) because I can't get their social need up easily without hurting their empathy, and this becomes a problem if I want the sim to have the empathetic trait. However, I often get this phase twice in the same child, it sometimes happens days after the phase goes away. Is there anything I can do to prevent this childhood phase? I can put it up with it once, or cheat to remove it but is there any way I can prevent it completely?

LaBlue0314

I'm not sure there is anything you as the player can do to stop this, but parents in the game have the ability to stop it, but they will need to have their parenting skills for this to work. Here is a link that goes into more details on what those skill levels do.

https://simsvip.com/sims-4-parenthood-guide/#Phases

When this was added to the game is the reason I stopped playing the larger families, I could deal with all those different phases.

Kimmer

I always seem to have mean streak for children that have good trait or have already gotten their character values high on positive side. None of the mean or evil children get that, ever, they will just get "I'm a bear" or glingy phases.

Chazzzy

It’s very annoying that we can’t stop the mood swings altogether.

What happened to choice?

invisiblgirl

I don't mind the mean streak so much - I play with autonomy off, so I can stop the kid doing anything 'mean'. It's the loud and obnoxious phase I hate, hate, hate, and nearly all my kids and teens go through that phase, sometimes twice. (I love the bear phase. And most of the other phases are interesting, if nothing else - I wish some of them had a bit more impact. Mostly, they're just moodlets, like the picky eater phase. The 'clingy' phase doesn't seem to do anything at all.)

Some of the teen mood swings are rather cute - I think it's entirely realistic for a teen to come home 'mortified' or sad after something happens at school. It makes the game a bit more interesting, without interfering too much with my plans for my Sims.

GalacticGal

Chazzzy wrote: »

It’s very annoying that we can’t stop the mood swings altogether.

What happened to choice?

Did you have a choice as a kid when your moods decided to swing? Life is random. As annoying as it can be, I believe the devs got this one correct.

izecson

GalacticGal wrote: »

Chazzzy wrote: »

It’s very annoying that we can’t stop the mood swings altogether.

What happened to choice?

Did you have a choice as a kid when your moods decided to swing? Life is random. As annoying as it can be, I believe the devs got this one correct.

Agreed, a little bit of randomness and consequences is good.

AllieSootie

I might just cheat to get rid of it then. I am not keen on the randomness in the game sometimes, but that is just me. We all play the game differently and like and dislike different things about it.

Chazzzy

GalacticGal wrote: »

Chazzzy wrote: »

It’s very annoying that we can’t stop the mood swings altogether.

What happened to choice?

Did you have a choice as a kid when your moods decided to swing? Life is random. As annoying as it can be, I believe the devs got this one correct.

Idk why people insist on referencing real life when discussing this game. There are many things in the game that do not occur in real life. One thing I would have liked them to add is the option to avoid mood swings. I don’t feel like I’m asking for too much here.

loubyloulou

Me, I love a bit of random meanness so take full advantage of my Sim kids' stroppiness

babajayne

I think the phases are cute but tend to last for too long. Maybe I need to get the parents more involved? But the bear phase for example lasts forever and then for some reason I lose the ability to change them into the bear costume (but they’ll still do it autonomously) 🤔

Nushnushganay

All this just makes me more certain to avoid the Parenthood pack! Also I can make a "bad" teen Sim and even a "fight club" on purpose, but I wouldn't want it visited on my Sims' childhoods as part of an inevitable phase.

telemwill

I mostly like the phases. Last night my Sim's daughter was in the distant phase and also brought home a friend who was angry. So in the midst of trying to prepare a meal and finish job requirements, Mom tries encouraging the daughter to redirect her mood. While she is out jogging to clear her mind, Mom calms down the daughter's angry friend. After dinner, she tries getting everyone to use the Buildem blocks but to no avail. Finally, she takes the daughter with her to volunteer at a soup kitchen. The girl comes home tired and ready to be part of her family again. All in all, it made for a better story.

It would be even better if Sims could do more with children who are not their own. When Olivia Kim-Lewis came to visit in a loud obnoxious mood, there was no way to react to that. Same with kids making messes in the park and at restaurants. I think some adult should be able to tell them it isn't appropriate. Especially if they are visitors in another home.

Friea

Remember, EA goes hard or goes home with the traits and emotional stuff. Look at the Jealousy trait for instance, it is so severely exaggerated that its hardly used by me.