What Parenthood adds
The Sims 4 Parenthood is the fifth game pack for The Sims 4, released on May 30, 2017. It falls under EA's Family & Friends category and focuses on the relationship between parents and their growing children. The pack introduces systems that let parental choices shape a child's personality from toddler through teen and into young adulthood, drawing inspiration from The Sims 3: Generations.
Character values and the parenting skill
Parenthood adds five character values that track the development of toddlers, children, and teens: Manners, Responsibility, Empathy, Conflict Resolution, and Emotional Control. Parents raise or lower these values through everyday decisions like encouraging good behavior, disciplining bad habits, or responding to teaching moments. Manners improves when children set the table or talk politely. Responsibility goes up from doing homework or holding a part-time job. Empathy grows through volunteering and playing with other Sims. Conflict Resolution increases when Sims apologize or work to fix strained relationships. Emotional Control develops through mindful activities like jogging or journaling.
When a teen ages into a young adult, their character values produce permanent reward traits that affect social options and autonomous behavior for the rest of their life.
The pack also adds a Parenting skill for young adults and older Sims. Leveling it up opens new interactions like time-outs and grounding, and provides more choices during teaching moments and chance cards.
Phases and family activities
Children and teens go through temporary phases that change their behavior. A child might become a picky eater or insist on wearing a bear costume. Parents can ask about a phase and get guidance on how to handle it.
The pack also introduces collaborative family activities. Sims of all ages can work together on school projects, which can be completed carefully or sloppily, affecting the project's quality. Younger Sims can play with construction blocks, and families can volunteer together.
Create a Sim and build content
Parenthood includes 55 Create a Sim items spanning clothing and appearance options across multiple age groups. The pack adds 88 family-focused build and buy objects, including bedroom furniture, kitchen pieces, and home décor. A Super Parent aspiration gives family-oriented Sims a goal centered on raising children with strong character values.