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I hate cribs!

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Really, cribs and toddlers are such a rage inducing combination. :rage:

First of all, toddlers recharge their energies very fast on the crib, so forget about putting your toddler to sleep and getting a full night rest for you sim, because soon enough the toddler will be awake and screaming "Get me out of this prison, 😭".

Then you wake up your poor sim and make him take the toddler out of the crib. But first, he stands in front of the crib, then the screaming toddler sits down, stands up again and finally can be taken out of the crib.

Now try managing the sleep schedule of triplets, try to teach them skills and still have your adult sim eat at least once a day. :s

By the fourth day, with the mother going back to work and the father not trusting the babysitter of the neighborhood (he is a kleptomaniac), I just gave up and sold all the cribs. Now the 3 toddlers just sleep on rugs on the floor.

Why can't toddlers on sims 3 sleep on dog cushions like they could on sims 2? Just WHY? :(

Oh, and forget about the tall chairs. Since day 3 the toddlers are eating on the floor...

..... ..... ..... ..... My favorite Sims 3 family: THE ENFADONHOS!..... ..... ..... .....
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Comments

  • Bettyboop55Bettyboop55 Posts: 2,646 Member
    edited February 2019
    I find keeping a house full of adults is the best way of dealing with babies and toddlers. So if you have grandparents and parents sharing the night time feeds, nappy changes and releasing the little darlings from the cribs, everyone gets a modicum of sleep and can manage to work and eat.

    I also find the baby swing from the store is a great way to encourage babies and toddlers to sleep and wake at a reasonable time. A premium item I believe it still comes up on daily deals. Well worth the investment. Rumour also has it there is a toddler bed. This is cc so I don't know anything more about it.
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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited February 2019
    If a toddler is well fed and doesn’t have to go to the toilet, they don’t make a fuss when they wake up in the middle of the night. They only start crying when they’re uncomfortable for another reason (than being awake). I honestly don’t think bringing up toddlers in the game is all that difficult (and I raised over 60, all of them spending the nights in a crib ;)).
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  • SindocatSindocat Posts: 5,622 Member
    I find keeping a house full of adults is the best way of dealing with babies and toddlers. So if you have grandparents and parents sharing the night time feeds, nappy changes and releasing the little darlings from the cribs, everyone gets a modicum of sleep and can manage to work and eat.

    Teens are also capable of caring for infants and toddlers, so your older kids can help out with the surprise latecomers as well!

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  • MikezumiMikezumi Posts: 49,697 Member
    My toddler sims sleep well. I usually have a family member put them in the crib at around 10pm. They might not sleep for a while but they are well fed and happy and don't fuss before they fall asleep. They generally wake a little before 6 and are happy to wait until 6 when their parents wake up. I am very strict about my sims' bedtime so there is no chance of a family member disturbing a toddler during the night. I find feeding the toddler just before putting them down ensures they last the night without getting hungry. I don't use any of the premium toys that fill the energy bar because they throw out my sims' sleep schedule.
  • KeiomestreKeiomestre Posts: 195 Member
    Thanks for the tips, everybody!

    I don't know if I will buy new cribs or if I will leave the toddlers falling asleep on the floor, but the 3 of them have 10 more sim days before aging up (I'm playing with long lifespan), so I have time to change my mind.

    I don't have other teenage or older sims on the house that can help, beyond the father and mother, and, for role-play reasons, the mother shouldn't help much with the children (she has the dislikes children trait). But inviting friends over helps.
    I also find the baby swing from the store is a great way to encourage babies and toddlers to sleep and wake at a reasonable time. A premium item I believe it still comes up on daily deals. Well worth the investment. Rumour also has it there is a toddler bed. This is cc so I don't know anything more about it.

    I bought the baby swing yesterday with other items. I only used it for about 10 seconds yet and it feels like cheating. The mother came back from work stressed and putting a baby on the swing immediately filled her fun bar, just like using a cheat.
    ..... ..... ..... ..... My favorite Sims 3 family: THE ENFADONHOS!..... ..... ..... .....
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  • SimsplyRuthSimsplyRuth Posts: 1,186 Member
    Keiomestre - I laughed when I read this -- "...First of all, toddlers recharge their energies very fast on the crib, so forget about putting your toddler to sleep and getting a full night rest for you sim, because soon enough the toddler will be awake and screaming "Get me out of this prison"..." - Sounds just like babies and toddlers in real life. Parents usually get a full night's sleep when the child reaches age 6 and then lose it again at 13.
  • IreneSwiftIreneSwift Posts: 6,247 Member
    Like @Mikezumi, my sims have strict bedtimes, and the toddlers never wake in the night, though I usually put them to bed around 9 PM, as most of my families get up at 5 AM. They get fed in the high chair at the same time the rest of the family has their dinner, then when one of the parents takes them out of the high chair, they do at least three or four interactions with them before putting them on the floor or the potty, depending on whether the toddler is fully potty trained yet. The trip to use the potty is the last thing, then they are put in the crib. Even if they don't go to sleep right away, they don't ever need attention in the night.

    Feeding them on the floor saves a little time for the parents at the time of the feeding, but overall doesn't really save time, because they will get hungry again sooner if they're only fed a bottle, and will have to be fed more times each day. My toddlers get fed in the high chair at the same time the rest of the family is having breakfast, then they don't need to be fed again until dinner, about 12 hours later.

    My sims also keep their babies and toddlers wherever they are. If they're going outside to garden, they take the babies and toddlers outside too, where they can play with toys that are kept near the garden for them. They also do multiple interactions with them every time they pick them up to carry them inside or outside, so my toddlers seldom cry for any reason. That is how I raised my real life children. When they were babies and toddlers, they were always wherever I was, unless they were sleeping in their cradle or crib, and as I worked, I talked to them, picked them up, kissed and cuddled them, etc, as often as possible. So I have my sims treat their babies and toddlers the same way.
  • SunnyyesjamsSunnyyesjams Posts: 541 Member
    Just let them sleep on the floor. They'll pass out eventually or you can just click on their sleepy moodlet and they'll sleep on the floor. I always do this because cribs are a nuisance. I have the rugs too but honestly, just let them pass out.
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  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    edited February 2019
    Actually, I think TS3 strikes a pretty good balance between toddlers getting all loud and fussy for what might be no apparent reason and having them sleep through the night most of the time if their needs are well met and they have positive moodlets going. Higher end objects like swings and playpens are nice but not essential. TS3 is, among other things, a time management game and things like this are a puzzle to solve, not a barrier to the game's enjoyment. Sorry if this sounds like a lecture, especially coming from a non-parent in real life like me, but if you are going to regard very young sims as noisy and inconvenient and you don't want them at the family dinner table, then you might want to reconsider ever having them and perhaps opt for puppies and kittens to raise. Or you could adopt older children, those are easier to control. :)

    One time I remember in particular when I was a newer player I let things get away from me and my sims' twins were overtired very late at night. The parents had to chase them all over the one-story residence to get them in a position where they could/would be picked up and put to bed and yes, they were crying and fussing all over the place for no reason other than being excessively tired. When they finally got them to bed at 2am or something, my two sims (who adore kids by the way) looked at each other, and by then I knew this look, as if to say, "Whew! Hey, wanna make some more?"

    "Whoa, no!! Stop! Hey doctor, you're on an early shift tomorrow, go to bed! And science guy, if you aren't sleepy yet go experiment on something and cut that out right now, none of that try for baby romance tonight!" (I'm sure my neighbors heard me yelling this out, but they already think I'm crazy anyway) And besides, the twins were the youngest of what were already six children by then and there were six more to come later on. But that was only one less than organized night, though my sims didn't have much to work with back then this wasn't a frequent occurrence at all. By the time the triplets came along, much later, things in that household were more organized and ran like clockwork. Much of the time. Always expect the unexpected with lots of kids around.

    Keiomestre wrote: »
    for role-play reasons, the mother shouldn't help much with the children (she has the dislikes children trait).
    Aha, not typical. I'd say you have set yourself up for an extra challenge there then, especially when raising triplets.
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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited February 2019
    Keiomestre wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips, everybody!

    I don't know if I will buy new cribs or if I will leave the toddlers falling asleep on the floor, but the 3 of them have 10 more sim days before aging up (I'm playing with long lifespan), so I have time to change my mind.

    I don't have other teenage or older sims on the house that can help, beyond the father and mother, and, for role-play reasons, the mother shouldn't help much with the children (she has the dislikes children trait). But inviting friends over helps.
    I also find the baby swing from the store is a great way to encourage babies and toddlers to sleep and wake at a reasonable time. A premium item I believe it still comes up on daily deals. Well worth the investment. Rumour also has it there is a toddler bed. This is cc so I don't know anything more about it.

    I bought the baby swing yesterday with other items. I only used it for about 10 seconds yet and it feels like cheating. The mother came back from work stressed and putting a baby on the swing immediately filled her fun bar, just like using a cheat.
    Yes, I have the same ‘problem’ with using the swing (and the playpen and the walker). It feels a bit too easy, like taking care of things without actually playing their lives. Maybe you could try to make sure to have all their need bars (except for the energy one of course) to the fullest before you turn them in? A tip for bonding by the way: make parents, teens and kids read books for their toddler (sibling). It makes them smarter, happier, it fills their social bar and it improves the relationship with the person who’s reading to them. You do need Generations for that.

    (the dislike children trait by the way, as far as I know, means literally just children (that life stage). If your storyline dictates she doesn’t like having kids I fully agree with you though, I’d stick to that plan then as well)

    (to be honest this is exactly why letting them sleep on the floor is a no go for me, it just feels too cold and sad for me personally, even when the little bundle of pixels won’t mind :D )
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  • KeiomestreKeiomestre Posts: 195 Member
    igazor wrote: »
    Sorry if this sounds like a lecture, especially coming from a non-parent in real life like me, but if you are going to regard very young sims as noisy and inconvenient and you don't want them at the family dinner table, then you might want to reconsider ever having them and perhaps opt for puppies and kittens to raise. Or you could adopt older children, those are easier to control.
    It's not like that. I enjoy the younger sims and I am always able to choose their traits when they age up to children, so I have been doing a good job in teaching skills and giving them attention. It's just the irritated toddlers stuck on cribs and high chairs that really irritate me! At least they don't scream like sims 1 babies. :scream:
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    (the dislike children trait by the way, as far as I know, means literally just children (that life stage). If your storyline dictates she doesn’t like having kids I fully agree with you though, I’d stick to that plan then as well)
    The trait also gives a 3 hour negative moodlet when interacting with babies and toddlers.
    IreneSwift wrote: »
    Feeding them on the floor saves a little time for the parents at the time of the feeding, but overall doesn't really save time, because they will get hungry again sooner if they're only fed a bottle, and will have to be fed more times each day. My toddlers get fed in the high chair at the same time the rest of the family is having breakfast, then they don't need to be fed again until dinner, about 12 hours later.
    Interesting. So giving them a bottle on the high chair would just be waste of time and I have done that before. :D
    ..... ..... ..... ..... My favorite Sims 3 family: THE ENFADONHOS!..... ..... ..... .....
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  • WaterdragonWaterdragon Posts: 780 Member
    I don´t mind cribs. If the toddler´s needs are ok, they usually don´t make a fuss, just sing to themselves and pick their cute little noses. The biggest problem with cribs I have are not the toddlers, but the adult sims, because at night, or if they are really tired themselves, they put the child in the crib, even if it isn´t tired. I often use (and absolutly love) the toddler napping mats from modthesims: http://modthesims.info/d/593159
    They can access and leave them on their own, and you don´t have to let them pass out on the floor.

    I also feel the swing is kinda cheaty, and I normally only use the playpen for children who already can talk, walk and speak. If you put two toddlers in it, it makes them best friends and gives them a head start at charisma.
    My sim´s antics: http://waterdragonsblog.com/
    My studio: http://www.thesims3.com/mypage/WatrDragon/mystudio

    Just assume that every edit I make is because of typos.
  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    I've never liked using cribs for toddlers though I'm fine with them for babies who are only babies for 60 days unlike toddlers who get 120 days which can get annoying with having to use cribs for them.I love the toddler napping mats for homes with toddlers and use them in place of the cribs when the babies age into toddlers.
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  • Deshong04Deshong04 Posts: 4,278 Member
    I do wish there were a lot more gameplay involved for the "least-liked" life stages. There are a lot of family-orientated players but not only that, more gameplay would be appreciated by everyone because it would make the life stages more expansive and fun than limited and less fun. For example, after toddlers learn how to walk they should be able to climb out of the crib on their own and even climb back into the crib. And/or a special toddler bed for those who have learned to walk so it's like real life when young ones graduate from a crib to a toddler bed. I would have loved also to have a sleeping mat to place on the floor for toddlers to use. Toddlers that walk should be able to do so much more than they can in-game but unfortunately there are many, many missed opportunities to flesh out this life simulator for ALL of its life stages.

    I'm still annoyed with the majority of attention and content for YA/A females. There's not really any balance concerning that at all.
    Just let them sleep on the floor. They'll pass out eventually or you can just click on their sleepy moodlet and they'll sleep on the floor. I always do this because cribs are a nuisance. I have the rugs too but honestly, just let them pass out.

    That could work but in my case my Sim actually was mad at me for doing that to his son. He didn't appreciate that at all. I thought since I got a chance to take the time to get to know my Sim I wonder how his A.I. would react, if at all. Because I'm just curious as to how deep does the A.I. work. Or rather "can" work because I suppose it depends. It's kind of like in Detroit: Become Human when they realize they are more than just their programming and break that barrier to achieve things that were not really per se specifically coded. For example, a Sim sitting in a way that isn't exactly how it's coded to be. Being able to actually mix various types of animations, etc to express themselves and unique ways to communicate with the player.
    Screenshot-3422.jpg

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    I felt bad, knowing how great of a father Chi is, so I directed him to hug him as an apology. But that didn't stop him expressing his discontent about me with his wife.
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    I've definitely been paying attention and see the individuality of Sims quite often in my game. It's really awesome and fascinating. I'm so curious how an even more ambitious A.I. would be from TS3 A.I. designer for a life simulator that would completely surpass TS3 in every way.

    Some Sims actually do get to the 5th stage of Maslow's Hierarchy. Or so I perceive in my own game.
    Pg. 38
    https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1012450/Modeling-Individual-Personalities-in-The
    “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
    Stand a little taller
    Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
    What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
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  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited February 2019
    I've only ever had twins in my game who were born while my firstborn was still a toddler. It was pretty hectic so I can imagine it would be even worse with triplets! After a while, I hated cribs too because of having to constantly putting them in and taking them out. But I found this! I'm telling you, this saved my sanity! Seriously!

    Napping Mat: http://www.modthesims.info/d/593159/napping-mat.html

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    Once you teach your toddlers to walk, they can autonomously toddle over to their assigned mats and go to sleep or wake up and leave it any time they want! I love this mat!!!

    Edit: They can also autonomously crawl to it too if they haven't learned to walk yet!
    Post edited by ClarionOfJoy on
  • jillbgjillbg Posts: 4,600 Member
    This is exactly why the game is called life simulation... It isn't always supposed to be easy :)
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  • SunnyyesjamsSunnyyesjams Posts: 541 Member
    @Deshong04 Wow that's really interesting! I'm usually of the opinion that sims are dumb, but occasionally do show some interesting behavior. It seems that sims do retain memories of recent occurrences. I've seen sims often experience something, and then talk about it autonomously to others.
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  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    I've got an example of how I prefer to handle toddlers in homes below.This was taken on a community lot in Logan.It shows the toddler mats available as toddler beds with cribs available for babies.
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  • KevinL5275KevinL5275 Posts: 2,489 Member
    You can use NRaas Retuner to slow down the rate that toddlers gain from the playpen and the swing.

    Or there are mods out there that will do it for you.

    I'm a 48 year old married man, with a beautiful wife, a cat, and a simverted personality.My Sims 3 Pictures
  • Deshong04Deshong04 Posts: 4,278 Member
    @Deshong04 Wow that's really interesting! I'm usually of the opinion that sims are dumb, but occasionally do show some interesting behavior. It seems that sims do retain memories of recent occurrences. I've seen sims often experience something, and then talk about it autonomously to others.

    @Sunnyyesjams Sims are smarter than you know and those who are observant will pick up on a lot of the intricate workings of the core A.I. in play.

    Did you know that sometimes Sims can intentionally cause routing failures for whatever the reason may be? For example, from my game my Sim initiated the watch the stars social but my other Sim intentionally went to sleep even though her energy bar was green. This causes the other Sim to just sit there until it gets canceled out after some time or if the player cancels immediately. This kind of behavior let's me see how much control the Sims have in figuring out ways to get around something they don't want to do. Even cancelling something in the queue the player wants will happen sometimes and doing what they want. If you annoy them that much, they might be quite disobedient and ignore you for a bit.

    Sim autonomy seems to play a huge role for individuality. This is why even if you give Sims the same exact traits, they will differ from each other. Just like in real life, upbringing, outside influences, personal motives, morals, etc. all affect personality. I play with high free-will on and I don't overly manage my Sims to give them space to do things on their own. Besides, I can't really get to know them if I'm always directing their lives. Gameplay is richer when I can play according to each Sim's personality. Sometimes, they reveal more information about themselves depending how I play. I pay attention to their facial expressions, body language, dream/speech/thought bubbles, how they interact with other Sims, their mood, etc.

    These two below are not even in a documented relationship. Meaning, they are just friends according to the U.I. that obviously has some disconnect with the A.I. and doesn't accurately reflect everything that is going on. I could tell by how they both would act around each other autonomously.
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    But I think her first real love is someone else who is married with kids.
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    There's more to the story here but I haven't updated any recent events yet. Some of the most enjoyable moments for me is to sit back and watch what Sims do without intervention for awhile. It is very entertaining and I end up learning more about the Sims too.
    https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/890930/my-s3-game/p2

    Oh, the memory thing. Sims retain their memories it seems from birth to death to probably after death. I notice all the time Sims acting and reacting to situations and/or other Sims based on something that happened in the past. I still think there's a love quadrangle between Chi, Jean, Tendai and Andreia. And all that started when they were teens and they are young adults now. If you keep track of your Sim's life stories it becomes easy to pick up on stuff like that. Though, I do switch households every now and then it also is a great way to fill in missing parts of the puzzle from another Sim's perspective. In some way, everyone connects to each other in the grand story in this interactive soap opera.
    “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
    Stand a little taller
    Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
    What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
    Footsteps even lighter”
  • thuggishsplicerthuggishsplicer Posts: 1,745 Member
    @Deshong04 I like reading your views about the A.I. Unfortunately, I over manage my sims, but I noticed there are some traits that give them more personality than others. I have a hot-tempered sim and I'm learning whether he feels like doing something or not. Whenever I choose an action that he doesn't want to do, he complains. I found it really cute.

    Same for hydrophobic sims. They always complain whenever they are asked to take a shower and their hygiene bar isn't that low. I also love those small wishes that express more their wants than an invitation for the player to do something (as what happens with most season-related wishes)
  • McToshMcTosh Posts: 638 Member
    A pet peeve of mine is when you bathe or change a baby/toddler your sim puts them on the floor before picking them back up to do something else like put them in the crib!! Being a store item you'd think they'd have fixed that, you should just be able to keep them in your arms
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  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    McTosh wrote: »
    A pet peeve of mine is when you bathe or change a baby/toddler your sim puts them on the floor before picking them back up to do something else like put them in the crib!! Being a store item you'd think they'd have fixed that, you should just be able to keep them in your arms
    I'm always confused by this complaint because I never see it in my game. Then I suddenly remember why. :)
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  • McToshMcTosh Posts: 638 Member
    igazor wrote: »
    McTosh wrote: »
    A pet peeve of mine is when you bathe or change a baby/toddler your sim puts them on the floor before picking them back up to do something else like put them in the crib!! Being a store item you'd think they'd have fixed that, you should just be able to keep them in your arms
    I'm always confused by this complaint because I never see it in my game. Then I suddenly remember why. :)
    http://www.simlogical.com/ContentUploadsRemote/uploads/2192

    Oh nice!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D
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  • emorrillemorrill Posts: 8,110 Member
    edited February 2019
    Sindocat wrote: »

    Teens are also capable of caring for infants and toddlers, so your older kids can help out with the surprise latecomers as well!

    ^My parents response when I asked them how they ever managed to raise 7 kids! :lol:

    My mom added, "And you weren't all toddlers at once." ;)
    Still I am in awe over her awesomeness and patience. <3
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