The thing is not everyone playing is a single user.
Did you mean it could be a choice made at very start of the game before any villages are started? We click on always start at menu, you click on always start at last village visited?
Having to click on the name of the village you want to be in has got to be less hassle than finding your hubby has done something terrible to your favourite villager by making a decision in your absence!!
Arthurs solution is a good compromise for both.