Toddler Mania

Robins

2007-01-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Please be advised if you haven't done this challenge and are planning on trying it you might want to wait to read this until after you give it a shot yourself first. I have a lot of tips in this blog and I think half the fun is the utter chaos the first time you try it. So try it and then come back to read this or not, it's your choice really. That being said meet the Robins family.

Ahh, it's the famous Quavi Robins from Prosperity Falls! (written by ASimWen) He should be happy with 7 kids to carry on the mission. The kids are named after my aunts and uncles and my one remaining grandmother (Mary), yep, only 3 aunts and 3 uncles. They were made from Quavi and a female just the skin tones and hair were changed. Mary is the aged down mother.

Here is the remodeled Toddler raising institution. As you can see the house has been downsized, as was the parent room, the toddler rooms flipped to the inner wall and toys and potties next to each room. There are also doors from outside near each toddler room for quicker entry. Each toddler was assigned a room and thus a set of potties and a charisma bunny. The only change I would make now is have both potties and the bunny in the toddler rooms (extend the walls out) cause Quavi complained a lot about the mess in the large rooms. All right time to talk to the "lucky" *snicker* father.

Hey Quavi!
Quavi: What is going on? Why have I been brought here? Why am I wearing this abomination? Why do I suddenly crave money?
Hey, I made that sweatshirt! I thought this would further your mission of spreading your DNA all over earth, so what better way than to have 7 toddlers? The money thing? Well, you have a lot, so I'm hoping that you're wants will be for buying stuff.
Quavi: I see. Well, it helps the mission, so I will participate.
*snickers* like he had a choice.
Quavi: What?
Oh nothing, let's get a move on.

Once again, they're off. You'll notice they are all heading in a little different direction, that's cause of the multiple doors into the house.

Our first toddler is Mary. Do you know who she is yet?

And what's this Quavi (as a fortune sim) has a want to read to Mary? Great!

And the potty training begins!

Next it's Brad.

No way, Quavi wanted to read to Brad too!?!? Awesome!

And oh crap, I forgot the get a close up of Brian! Grrr, but wait another reading to his child want! This is not going how I expected but it is going well!

And as we pull back we see Brad using the potty. Wait, what? Is he ALREADY potty trained? Nope,*ALERT* tip coming, have the adult begin to potty trained the toddler. Once the learning bar appears but before the parent finishes turning around x out of the potty training. The toddler will continue to learn but the parent is free to go about his business. This is something I have only done in this challenge. It's a valuable time saver for this challenge. *End Alert* Ut-Oh we need to get everyone else before they soil their diapers.

Unbelievable, yet another want to read to one of his children! A family sim never rolls a single want regarding her children, now this, odd. Must want to tell them about the mission.

Things are getting a little out of hand.
Quavi: Yes, I require your assistance in rearing these miniature beings!

Run Quavi run!!! He ran everywhere, literally!

Wait is this the same nanny that was here peeing herself last time? She's putting Timi in the crib. In fact she did a decent job.

I guess Quavi didn't run fast enough for this one. Oh well, just one dirty diaper so far.

This is cute, me thinks. *ALERT* tip coming, whenever it was time for a tot to eat they would crawl to the kitchen. Meanwhile Quavi would run in and get them a bottle. Saved valuable parent time and none the stomping when they can't give it to the tot right away. *End Alert*

*ALERT* tip coming, This is my biggest tip. Quavi would empty the potties, not to the toilet or trash compacter but to the floor. Enter the maid...

*ALERT* tip continues, he would o around picking up pile upon pile of "trash". I wasn't expecting it to work as well as it did. I did try to wait until just before the maid arrived so as to not attract roaches, so Quavi did have to fully empty quite a few potties. *End Alert*

It didn't all go perfectly. Mary spent a lot of time waiting to be taken out of her crib. Cause the nanny would get bored and actually leave.

Yep, another want to read to a child!

Wowie and little Linsey is the first to be potty trained in any of my attempts at the toddler mania challenge.
Quavi: That is due to her superior DNA. She will be an excellent contributor to the mission.
Wonderful, but that's not what we are here for.

Wow another potty trained tot!!!!

Quavi even had some down time to give Linsey...
Quavi: My best child.
...ummm, yeah, to give her a bath.

Phil got potty trained!!! Wait, what is that in the background? A wolf! Eeek, Quavi has constant fears of having them around!

And Timi gets potty trained!

Quavi, what happened? What's wrong?

It's back!!! And he sent him plummeting into deep red!

Wen do you want this one for your Quavi scrapbook or something? I hope he gets better soon, we're nearing the end.

Look a platinum plumbob! Quick grow up Linsey!
Quavi: My precious spawn has grown up well.
Yes she did. And with 5, count them 5 charisma points!

Brian joins the potty trained tots!

As does Brad!

No way, he's in platinum too. Time to grow up Brad! Not to be out done by his favored sibling, Brad also got 5 charisma skills!

Hey Shelly's in platinum too, quick! Oh no, it faded, oh well, she still grew up well. 4 charisma for Shelly.

Timi is platinum too!

Yes, she made it in time! 5 charisma for her too! This is unbelievable!

Now the time is really up as the tots start to grow up on their own. Man I neglected Brian again, forgot to crop this picture! Sorry little man. He grew up well with 5 charisma.

Same for Phil.

And finally Mary grew up well bringing this puppy to an end. She had 4 in charisma. Do you know who she is yet?

Let's look at points:

SCORING:

1. +3 points for each toddler skill (potty, walk, talk) each toddler learns (max 63 pts) 21 (all 7 were potty trained, that's all though)
2. +3 points for each toddler that grows up well (determined by the memories of the parent) 21 (they all did)
3. +1/2 point for each skill point earned by all toddlers 16.5 (33 skills)
4. +3 points for each toddler that ages to child in platinum (stacks with growing up well) 9 (3 did)
5. -2 points for each use of the Energizer painting -10 (5 uses, it was VERY helpful)
6. -2 points each time you hire a nanny -4 (2 nannies)
7. +1 point each time a nanny pees herself 0
8. -5 points each time your parent passes out from exhaustion 0
9. -5 points for each visit from the Sim Therapist -5 (darn wolf)
10. -1 point for each baby bottle you delete from buy mode 0
11. -5 points if you use moveobjects to move any sim for any reason 0

Basic Scorring Total 48.5

The kids were grown to teen and then sent to college.

Where they were added to the YA townie pool for Prosperity Point.

One last look at Wen, I mean Mary. Crap I gave it away. But you knew already didn't you?

Toddler Mania

2007-01-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

This is my second attempt at one of my favorite challenges, Toddler Mania. Why is it one of my favorites? 1. It's the first one I actually finished, because it's really short. 2. Cause it's dang hard. I'm an avid sim reproducer, but this one still vexes me, even after more than 2 years playing the game. This isn't a story, per say but rather an account of what happened.

Oh look we have sim me in here. I wonder how well she will do. Hehe. The tots are named after my cousins, except Ian, that's my brother's name. What can I do, I only have 6 cousins?

Here's our toddler rearing institution. We have the adult bedroom in one corner and three separate toddler room on one side and four on the other. We also have a sunken bathroom to keep the tots out of the toilet, although that tub down there was a bad idea. In the main living area it alternates between a toy and a potty so there is never too far to walk. there are also 4 trash compactors right there for easy disposal. We also have a kitchen in the middle, not that it gets used much beyond getting bottles. Finally you see those two chairs in the far back corner? Those are supposed to be for the nannies to sit down and maybe nap, but they got used. Now let's meet the inmates, I mean family. The Kaufman's.

Hi there Rachel!
Rachel: What's going on? Where's my family?
Ahh, you have a new family for a couple days. You have to raise these 7 toddlers the best you can. Try to help them learn as much as possible, don't let them be taken by the social worker, and um, don't die.
Rachel: What do you mean don't die?
This is very taxing. You're gonna be exhausted and hungry. You won't be able to meet all the tots needs and all your own. Just make sure you eat and get some sleep since I, like a fool, opted to not get the energizing painting. I so will next time.
Rachel: Next time?
Don't worry, I'll pick someone else next time. Let's meet the kids.

Rachel: My they sure are cute. They look a lot like my other kids.
That's cause they were made genetically from you.
Rachel: Well my kids are easy to raise. This won't be too hard.

They are swarming like bees! But at least they are happy bees cause I bought them toys.

And they're off!

Now this is a scary site.
Rachel: Hum, who should I potty train first. Wait where's my smart milk and thinking cap?
You need to earn those before you can use them. I changed your aspiration to Family for this but yet you don't have any wants in regard to your kids. Darn it!

Way to go Katie!
Rachel: Things are going really well so far.
Yeah, so far.

Nicole went out to hug this neighborhood doggie...

And promptly passed out. Darn it first point lost!
Rachel: Umm, I'm a little worried about Nicole, passing out like this.
Well get ready to worry a whole lot more.

Next we find out why the bath tub in the sunken bathroom was a bad idea. The stupid nanny gave him a bath and then left him down there. More points gone.

Rachel: I need some fun. I think I'll toss Katie in the air.
Katie: *Gross barfing sounds*
Another bad choice. Rachel never gets a bath for the rest of the challenge. Yeah, seriously.

Rachel: Emily go potty for Rachie. Man! This is so Hard!

And poor Nicole is waiting for someone to let her out of the crib. Where's the nanny?

Well at least she got me a point by peeing on herself.

Nicole and Ian build up social with the doll house. A definitely must since Rachel can't keep everyone's up.

Looks like we have another nanny here. Doing a stellar job.
Rachel: They are pretty useless. They are supposed to be putting the tots to bed and getting them up and all they do is bring one bottle after another.

Rachel: Crap, 3 more tots passed out.
I hate to break it to you, but I don't have pictures of all the pass outs. this would be really long if I did. Isn't there something you should be taking care of?

So close.

Well looks like she found some snuggling time. Gotta keep these tots in the green at least.

Cooper if you're hungry you should have one of the bazzilon bottles the nanny brought out not the Ken doll.

Ut-oh, this was a big one. -5 points for the parent passing out.
Rachel: I was trying not to die. See the cereal?
Yeah, I know. Great job not dying!!!

Yeah, I knew the nightmares would be coming.

This was just funny. THe floating head to select something has the Ken doll in his mouth! Hehe.

Showing off the mess.

More of the mess and look at Katie's plumbob. She's not happy.

Rachel: Aww man!
Sorry, you needed your sleep, I couldn't have you passing out again.
Rachel: But I only slept for an hour.
What do you expect? You're raising 7 toddlers!

Speaking of sleeping, we have a passed out nanny in the kitchen. Thank goodness that doesn't cost me points.

And we're already to the everyone's birthday is just a day away. Snuggle Nicole and get her to child.
Rachel: But then she'll be older than her siblings?
Yeah but 6 toddlers are easier than 7.

She also had 2 skill points. She didn't learn any of her toddler skills.

Now she can help out around the house.

Rachel: Wait another one?
Yeah 5 is easier than 6.

Nice work Cooper, 3 skills! He didn't learn any toddler skills either.

I think this cleaning is going to take awhile.

Shhh, everyone is sleeping for the very first time, even the nanny. I'm sure this won't last long.

Morning folks.

Some more play time.

Katie's plumbob is no longer bright red! Quick grow her up before it goes back!

2 Skills again, but she grew up well, I had my doubts. No toddler skills learned here either.

3 skills for Natalie! No toddler skills either.

Ian did well too. 2 skills, no toddler skills.

Jack grew up on his own at about 8PM the next day. Way to go little man, 4 skills!!! No toddler skills though.

One last snuggle for good measure.

2 skills, no toddler skills.

The clean up continues.

Well Rachel, you survived.
Rachel: Barely.
Yeah, but you did. You're free and the kids are all aged up to teens and added into the Prosperity Point townie pool!

Let's look at points:

SCORING:

1. +3 points for each toddler skill (potty, walk, talk) each toddler learns (max 63 pts) 0
2. +3 points for each toddler that grows up well (determined by the memories of the parent) 21 (they all did)
3. +1/2 point for each skill point earned by all toddlers 8 (16 skills)
4. +3 points for each toddler that ages to child in platinum (stacks with growing up well) 0
5. -2 points for each use of the Energizer painting 0
6. -2 points each time you hire a nanny -10 (5 nannies)
7. +1 point each time a nanny pees herself 7 (peeing 7 times)
8. -5 points each time your parent passes out from exhaustion -10 (passed out twice)
9. -5 points for each visit from the Sim Therapist 0
10. -1 point for each baby bottle you delete from buy mode 0
11. -5 points if you use moveobjects to move any sim for any reason 0

Basic Scorring Total 16

ADVANCED SCORING (OPTIONAL):

1. -1 point for each toddler that passes out on the floor -50 (no joke)
2. -1 point for each diaper changed -8 (but it might have actually been more)
3. -1 point for each social worker warning message you get 0 (I had 3 warning last time, so I did better there.

Total with Advance Scoring -42