I agree with ALL the suggestions in this thread. I like the game, but I have to admit I am underwhelmed due to most of the complaints I've read here in the forums.

Here are my 2 cents:

1. The BABIES...this is my biggest gripe. When they're born they look exactly like the ones in VV. Because this game was touted as a Family Simulation, I expected there to be a difference in this area--mainly, caring for the infant would've have been a fun part of game playing. I can accept that the Mother won't work during those 2 years, if only she were TRULY occupied with caring for the child: diapering, feeding, bathing, etc. Maybe even get the Father and the siblings involved. That would've made the 2 years they carry that coccoon like baby around, a lot more interesting.

2. TODDLERS - second biggest complaint. Toddlers don't look like toddlers, they simply look like a smaller scale adult with their grown up outfits, high heels and jewelry. I happen to like the fact that they go to bed when the sun goes down. Sometimes they get up to go to the bathroom or drink water and that's pleasing because it mimics reality, so when a 2 year old is 'heating food up', selling collectables and doing the dishes it kills the illusion for me.

I had this same gripe in VV -- the fact that they aren't children but just smaller sized adults, but at least in VV the whole game was drawn at a much smaller scale, so the kids up to 8 or 9 still looked somewhat little and moved so fast they looked cute -- but the kids in VF are never cute at any stage ;( -- and in both VV and VF it bugs me a bit that 12 and 13 year olds are still 'playing in the dirt' and with toys when in reality they'd be doing something more grown up ...

3. And Finally Wardrobe. I agree that it is a bummer that they only wear 1 outfit in all the game unless you splurge $225 for a new one...but then lose the old one. It's not like they can change back into the old one again for variety...they simply lose it. It would be nice if each character came with a couple outfits for different activites: Pijamas for sleeping; shorts for weeding; bathings suits for swimming... and so on.

All of the ideas posted on this thread would greatly improve the game. It has some cute aspects to it...but hopefully there will be a VF 2 where there is more Sim gameplay...