When I first started VV, I kept a family tree as well...but it became too time consuming. I then tried with just one family, but that too became more "work" then fun so I stopped.

The best way I have found to manage mating is by having one father only. I have two villages in particular that even when population declines and as long as I don't have the breeding option ticked, they don't mate until I decide, haha!!

I used to call them my "celibate" villages....but I think that they got a few secret crates of condoms instead of diapers, haha!!

The only time I create a second father is when the original is very elderly, then I keep the pop up to the max until he passes away so I at least know who the father is of children born in that time frame.

I do have two villages where the fathers are very "keen" shall we say....but at least I know "who's the daddy" and that's something, haha!!

Best of Irish,
Maura