It would really help if you could be more specific with your descriptions. I have never seen any peep abandon a task within 1 second.

Without being able to somehow record it I can't see how I can be more specific. All I know is I put them down, they go to work, then suddenly they'll get up and leave - or sometimes they'll have that puff of smoke first then leave. All I know is unless I force the issue they rarely stay to make money.

Family four both parents are in their 50s, so they actually stick to their jobs. In fact I've had to tear them away because both were weak and I was trying to make them eat.

Family five, also in their 50s, and had six kids, so they tend to work more. Though the wife, the ketchup bottler, doesn't stay in the kitchen as much as her husband, the dress maker, stays in the workshop.

I think that perhaps the problem here is recognizing the difference between this game and Virtual Villagers. This is a life simulation where the peeps are not programmed to slavishly stay at the research table racking up tech points. The scolding glove is also very useful for discouraging other activities.

There are some very useful strategies in this thread.

Jami, you can watch them start a task and count the seconds that they remain on the task. Write that down and either see what they do next, or move to the next person. Continue for each activity and person.

I personally have never had a problem with my people working. Just like when you are first training villagers, a few aborted attempts are normal. When I have a new peep, I put him/her down to work and IMMEDIATELY praise them twice. I watch to make sure they work. If they walk off, I'll drag them back and praise them twice again. In short order, they are willingly working on their own, with no problems.

They do wander off to do other things occasionally, but who doesn't? They *always* go back to work. This morning my 57 year old was a Master in his field, so was his wife, and I had 10k in my family bank.

It's not that I'm confusing it, it's that they refuse to make money. I can even close the game and come back later and find they still haven't gotten over $200, and then send me e-mails whining about money being tight. (Which is why I'd like to be able to e-mail them back!) And I'm serious when I say they'll wander off after one, maybe two seconds. No matter if I praise them, give them candy, etc. If they'd stay long enough to earn a little money I wouldn't be complaining. But they always want to go off to excercise or something rather then working.

The only other thing I can think of is to see if they dislike working. If so, use

Maybe they just don't like Jami.

Hi Jami! I've never had what I'd call a lazy peep. You just have to start them off right. I'll give you a few pointers you can try with your next new game or new generation:

1. First thing I do is get my adoptee to make herself/himself a meal and eat. If they're hungry or sick they can't concentrate on work.
2. After they eat I put them in the shower, as they're always 'not feeling fresh' at the beginning of a game.
3. Then if there's candy (not the bad candy...Lol!)and fruit in the store I buy it and start my peep working on their occupation. When they start working I give them a pat with the praise glove. If they try to walk away I just put them back to the chore. After they succeed in making some money..if they start to walk away I put them back to work and give them a piece of candy or fruit and a pat with the praise glove. After they succeed a second time I repeat the above (without using the praise glove..just give them the candy or fruit, as they run away from the praise glove if you use it too much.)

After you do the above you should never have trouble getting your peeps to work again. You may want to praise them (either with the glove, candy or fruit, or both) after coming back in the next day when she starts working just to reinforce their good work habit.

Good luck!

One more thing to check is your timing on the praising. Are you actually praising them when their activity message says "Working on Career" or praising them AFTER their focus changes to whatever other activity is going to happen? Remember their focus can change while they're at the end of one activity before they're actually walking to the new activity. That seems to be a big possibility since all 5 of the families are doing it.

If this is inadvertently happening, they are being rewarded for leaving work, so yes, they will keep it up because they've been trained to do so.

Maybe? Seems like it's the only explanation... (dunno )