Yes they do gain skill but so slowly that it isn't worth the time to mention it. I know this because I checked the exact numbers in a hex editor. After spending 40 real mins. doing nothing but teaching she gained 1 point is parenting. That just not right. Parenting skill comes from the RAISING of childern not their creation. This is something that I would love to see changed.

The other thing that really needs changing is the medical skills.
It makes no sense that Healers can't heal they can only cure. This in another skill that an overhaul. Training at plants gives about the same amount of skill that teaching does.. not worth the trouble. Like teaching you have to stay on top of them cuz NOBODY is willing to do this on their own. The idea that only food will heal an injury lacks sense. If you broke your leg a cheese sandwhich isn't going to make you feel much better. Yes a cook pot was added to aid in healing, but seriously does that make sense when you have Doctors struggling to make master?

I do like many of the suggestions listed here. But I really would like to see the above changes made.

A lot of the suggestions that I have seen are really good ones, but there are also some that don't make any sense. Rain is a good idea...but having to build more huts for shelter is unrealistic. It already takes too long to build the huts, which are built as the demand rises anyway. If your builders don't have building to do, and you don't want them standing around, make them learn a new skill and keep contributing. You can always set them back to building when needed. As far as the kids: They should be "in school" for part of the day, maybe 15 minutes real-time per hour, which should be a skill-building activity. Parents and children should acknowledge each other accordingly (as should mates and other villagers). Children should also be doing some kind of work before age 14, such as tending the crops (not unrealistic). I like the idea of kids finding some of the items and mushrooms on their own, if they happen to come across them. The gender distribution needs to be more even...I currently have 7 kids ages 2-14, and only one is a boy. This makes populating the island a little tough if you are trying to avoid incest. Speaking of the breeding problem...there should be an option to turn monogamy on and off (depending on user preference and desperate situations). There should also be a restriction on breeding between siblings and parent/child. If two villagers have a parent in common, or are parent and child, breeding should not be allowed. If imbreeding and polygamy weren't an issue, I would be comfortable with leaving the game to run on its own, but I honestly control all of my villagers' breeding and keep track of it on a chart in Microsoft Word. I'm sure parents don't want to have to explain these things to their kids. And YES, nursing mothers should still be contributing somehow...it's supposed to be realistic, right?

i am so ready for #3 but if iwere to add to the fun i would make apuzzle that takes you to another part of the island with all new puzzles a change of scenery per say

Doctors should build up hospital, be there for the sick! Adults should teach pre-adults classes / and or have them (pre-teen) watch 2-9 yr olds. They should be able to continue to harvest mushrooms and collectibles after being shown like the adults. They should be able to make more tools. Can we get more than ugh, hey, he he he, too???????

Just thought of another idea - on the details screen it would be great if once a person was a master the colour of the line changed that way it would be easier to find all your masters especially when you have a lot of villagers close to it.

I dress my villagers according to their jobs - that make it much easier if someone doesn't respond to a task. For example my Drs are all in white and my farmers in green. When they become masters in that task, I buy them another set of clothes in the task I want them to do. When they become an esteemed elder I change their clothes again so I know whos who. Much easier to manage everyone that way.

I haven't read all the ideas, so maybe these have already been suggested:
1. Once the garden is irrigated by building the dam and diverting the stream, watering the garden seems unnecessary. Maybe the farmers could find some goats and breed them for milk and cheese. The builders could build a stable or barn with fences or something to gain skill too. Additionally, the garden could be increased in size as the population grows.
Farmers could also develop the tools and ability to fish with a pole and line from a wharf built by the builders.
2. Tropical fruit trees could be earned or added for something else to harvest.
3. Either have the sick villagers go to the hospital when they are sick and have the adept and master healers hang around there, doing research when they are not busy, or do away with the hospital and let the sick villagers continue to go to the village center for healing.
4. Let the builders build a school when the population reaches a certain milestone and have the adept parents do the teaching for skill points. I like the school in VV1 because I could always bong the drum to get all the children in one place and check on their conditions, etc. rather than have to scroll through all the profiles in the details area.
5. Create a list of villagers with general information (age, health status, skill levels, ???) as the opening screen for the detail area, then allow the villager to be picked for more information. It would allow a quick search for information rather than having to go through all the villagers looking for those who are sick, weakened, elderly, etc. This would be particularly helpful when the player is near the population cap.
6. Expand the size of the research table when higher levels are reached, it is hard to find villagers when you have 15 or 20 researchers at the table.
7. I agree that nursing mothers should be contributing in some way. Teaching, telling stories, things that will not get in the way of caring for the child, it seems silly that the mothers just sit in the village center and do nothing.

That's all I can think of, hope some of these help.

a day cares a good idea the moms can actuly work with the baby in daycare

Hi.to get a Master parent u don't just have to get babies u can teach or school the kids too, that's how I got my totem for one female.

I have been enjoying VV2 a great deal!

I would prefer having to manipulate the kids to find mushrooms and collectibles - some of the challenge would be taken away if they learned to do that on their own. However, I'd love to see a child increase in a skill if a collectible or mushroom is found - maybe in research if they find a butterfly, shell or _bug_ collectible, building if they find a pebble, farming if they find a mushroom. If kids can gain skill in healing before they turn 14, surely they could grow in other areas too. Also, I'm not sure if this is already the case, but parenting skills in adults should be increased if they tell a story or teach the children.

Personally I've found that training builders is the hardest after everything is done - somehow fixing huts doesn't build up skill as quickly as researching or farming. It seems to take twice as long to get a trainee builder than anything else. So maybe some sort of building projects to keep the builders learning.

Please no cannibals, warrriors or other violent type things. I do love the "magical" aspect as well...although right now the story seems a little disjointed. LOL!