jenga_sims | 5: E is for Easy Breezy Childhood

What's the matter Bethany? Don't you like your new look?

It figures that both toddlers started out toddlerhood the same way - sad that Amberley had to go to work.

Meanwhile, Benjamin went out to make friends with some of the kids in the neighbourhood.

The 'dun dun dun' music startled me, and this was what I found.

Turns out it's neighbourhood brawl day.

Elsa Bjergsen just whooped your sorry butt, Benjamin.

They're friends now.

So in addition to tackling all four childhood aspirations, Benjamin is also in scouts. Apparently the perks from finishing scouts are really good, so that's cool. Initially I was all like, not something else I have to worry about, but the activities fit neatly into a lot of stuff he's working on anyways.

Bethany has the Angelic trait, which means she's super easygoing. She plays with her blocks and her toys, and complies with most requests.

Amberley attempts to take a more 'hands-on' approach to parenting Bethany. She's around a bit more, working less hours and helps out with bedtime routines and the likes.

I use the word 'routine' very loosely. There is no routine and this is starting to annoy me. People are up at all hours because they're hungry or tired or not tired enough or have work tasks to complete. Case in point: Arthur looking for food at 4 in the morning.

There is one way to solve this, of course, but I had wanted to try my best to go without it. But I have poor resolve.

It's finally time for a household club. Rally the troops, I have missed you!

I called it "Achievements" but I really think I need to come up with a better name.

(also, finally turned the basement into a skilling/breakout area. The crux was needing a chess table and having nowhere else appropriate to put it. Benjamin needs the chess table for Whiz Kid and Arthur's finally at the point where he needs logic for his writing career).

Toddler skilling.

Like I knew this was a powerful way to raise communication, but I never actually made them just stand there and spam click the thing. Brilliant.

Love how much these two get along.

Remember the bit about me always missing/forgetting birthdays?

Arthur grows older and wiser (into an adult) without much fanfare.

He powers through the sadness (easy to do given how much of an inspiration buff this room gives) and continues to be an excellent parent, helping Benjamin with more of his aspiration goals.

Also, being a bookworm, he thoroughly enjoyed this part, too.

This doesn't mean he can't also be convinced to play with the toddler on occasion.

Amberley, meanwhile, takes on the more creative parenting duties - like helping out with science projects.

Now don't you dare set that thing off in the house!

So fighting with Elsa Bjergsen turned out to be a very good thing - she invites Benjamin to join the league of adventurers club, which should make the social butterfly aspiration achievable.

For the kids, I often swap back and forth between aspirations rather than work on them one at a time. I can usually get all of them done this way (if I don't, Social Butterfly is usually the one that gets missed).

And also, look y'all, it's finally fall! I changed the seasons to 14 day cycles. 28 days of a Summer that consisted of far too many thunderstorms nearly broke me.

Bethany gives the slide a try. She approaches it tentatively at first and initially gets a scared moodlet from it. But, after a few goes she really starts to enjoy it and levels movement pretty quick.

She is a touch more independent than her brother. It figures, being the oldest (by quite a bit) he got a lot more of his parents undivided attention. Now there's a little bit more competition.
This is why I like having space between the kids. Time to focus on/give one a head start before diving straight into the next.

Benjamin keeps himself busy working on scouting badges.

And on his aspirations.

Amberley is all too happy to encourage his drawing skills, which not only earns a scouting badge, but levels creativity pretty quickly.

He helpfully offers to fill the lounge room with music when the radio breaks again.

Amberley decides to fix the radio.

Bethany is great. She's progressing really well in her skills (thanks Teresa!). She cleans up her toys.

Listens really well to Mummy.

And even tries to engage in 'serious' conversations with the grown ups.

Lazy sim sleeping through a movie. Apparently the movie was terrible.

Not long after, Arthur maxes his writing skill.

(Amberley maxed painting ages ago but I didn't get a picture).

Bethany wakes up hungry one Friday morning when everyone else is still asleep. Let's see if we can change that?

First she wakes up Benjamin, but he can't exactly help with breakfast, can he?

Oh well. He takes advantage of the early morning to finish up the last drawings he needs for Artistic Prodigy.

So she finds mum and dad.

Let's not forget that Arthur is a lazy sim who doesn't take to kindly to being woken up. In other words, don't let this photo fool you - he's hopping mad right about now.