What I'm curious about: how do you decide (and follow through) on various particular family-strategies? With all the in-game decisions like scolding and praising behaviours, order of bying upgrades, etc.

For example: I've got one 'Idealistic' family, one 'Realistic' family (as close as I can get to my own) and one 'High Society' family.
I play each family differently. Make other choices for each.

Idealistic (for me that is
Loving outdoor things, nature, family-things, values and happiness are more important than making money.
In effect, moneymaking and upgrading is slower: rather save up some money for the interest and the good foods, no need to become Master to fast, rather have the hammock and radio (dancing, yeay!) instead of swimmingpool or fancy bedsheats.
Some weeds in the yard? Jumping on the bed? No problem!

High-Society: (Named that one Beverly Hills)
Very oriented on money, appearances and status (What will the neighbours think??!) Marriage only to rich or promising spouses (looks don't count).
Weeds in the yard? No way! Traditional woman/man-tasks: woman puts on make-up and beautymasks, reads magazines, does household stuff, while man works his but off and takes out garbage, reads newspaper etc. They first upgrade the kitchen (look how fancy!)and will be the first to get the swimmingpool.
Adopt like 'Madonna-style' and: had the firstborn 'sold off' to a stardom-carriere'. (Would NEVER happen in my other families, mind you!) Tend to neglect the kids, do only family-stuff 'for appearances' (Happiness-bar).

So, now I'm really curious: how do YOU decide how to run a family or various families? And how does this effect your choices in the game?

Or, am I the only one doing this experiment?
No way: I'm pretty sure a lot of you do this!!!

If so: please share your thoughts and experiences?

Greetz!

(If this topic is posted somewhere else, please let me know and close this one. Have read a zillion threads, but there's SO many!?)

I just let them go much as I want my own life to be. I never thought of different types. Great idea!

I usually make them workaholics .

That is a great idea, and I might give that a go. I usually praise dancing always and always buy the mp3 player after the bathroom & air purifier as I love music and it makes me happier, so I hope it does the same for them. They look so cute when they dance, but can they give the boring old radio away.

I usually only scold the drawing on the wall & banging dishes and let all the other stuff slide. They are kids!

@Angeltalena: that sounds a lot like my 'Idealistic' family?
Let them do the things/make the choices I feel are 'right' (for a happy healthy life), but I'm not always able to do in my Real Life. They ARE having great fun, I must say!

@halidog: And that sounds a lot like my 'Realistic' life ;-)

@Bren: I do SO agree with you on that!
The only family I choose to do otherwise, is my Beverly Hills family. Hubby is scolded for doing housework, kids are scolded for playing in the dirt (because: what will the neighbours think? Not proper for these rich kids )

And although this is only a game: I still prefer the 'salty sweets' over scolding.... Never been a big believer in spanking!

How is your Beverly Hills family reacting to the whole method? Are they generally happy and healthy?

Well, funny enough, they are just as healthy & happy as the other families. They do tend to get exhausted faster/more often, but hey: that's the price they pay for their lifestyle

Both parents made it to Master, earn lots of money so they get the luxury stuff. And that makes them happy. Mum seems to get rested/relaxed doing her beauty-things in the bathroom, and hubby loves to admire his new Toolkit and reading the paper.
I think the kids are happy because they get their attention/praises/candy/playtime from me, plus they too like the new stuff in the house.
And with enough money for the good foods and doctor/medicine, the family's health is more than fine!

Guess there's lots of ways to happiness

Beverley Hills Family, that is priceless. There are so many ways to play this game.

I have a family that started as a test what they do during the night (as I play at night I reversed my other families), and because I don't get much time to play during the day they run amok. It's funny to watch them run around a messy house with weeds everywhere, then I get sick of it not being neat and try to fix it up but run out of time - so it's my 'you guys do you want' family.