I personally don't like how Sim kids can't stay home by themselves, or can't even use the microwave! I also think it's weird how they insist on spamming the poor parents with "Ask to Read to..." and "Dance with.." or even "Swing around" options. I think it's annoying, but that's just me.

How many 9 year old kids do you know that are allowed to stay home alone and operate a microwave? I don't know of any...

Honestly, I envision my Sim kiddies as 10 year olds. I don't know why. Also, now that I think about it, nine year old + microwave= BAD IDEA!
But since they are under our control, they should be a litlle smarter.

"MLittlepaw" kids are kids how else will they learn to read or know about other things if the sims parents do not read to them. Part of any kids learning process is learning new things, so in the sims world dancing, being read to or help with homework or even swing around is all in fun, while in the process they are learning new ways to play and other things. Also this kind of action will build a strong relationship between parents and child in the sims game in the relationship panel. Just think about it in the real world how did you learn to read? Maybe it was someone older who help you to read and maybe you just watch someone else to learn to dance. It is all in fun, but NO microwave.

They don't need to use the microwave...they can make muffins in their toy oven :D

They should be able to make themselves cereals or a sandwich - leaving a mess.

True...my 4 year old Godson has got his own cereal before...and really made a mess apparently!

i'm pretty sure when i was 9, i was home alone often and knew how to use a microwave..

I like them the way they are, what child doesn't aggravate their parent from time to time with will you do this and will you do that? I know I did. Mom would run us out of the kitchen if she knew we were in there...but we could eat left overs or snacks. I find the kids endearing plus I use them to irritate the visitors & neighbors :P

Some of my adult Sims can't operate the microwave and you think the kids should be able to?

I don't mind them not being home alone (how it should be really) and there are usually leftovers for them to get. Especially since the nanny insists on baking cakes and cooking turkeys every chance she gets.

Really? Where I live it's illegal to leave children of that age alone.

Speaking of Sim kids and their food making abilities, why they can't use the microwave but can bake their muffins in toy oven which is sure operated by electricity, otherwise how would it bake stuff? I've been wondering about that.
And Sim kids at least should be able to use the toast oven and make themselves sandwiches. I find it unrealistic that they can't do that.

As for leaving kids alone at home, it was a very common practice when I grew up - parents were at work, school dismissed students at/after noon, so kids went home, or rode public buses, used their own keys to let themselves in, did their homework, made lunches by either warming up some leftovers on gas stoves or even making something from scratch (I knew 8-10 years olds who knew how to make a soup or bake/fry potatoes or make a salad..). Anyone knew how to make a sandwich. And nowadays kids are not stupid either, 7-10 year olds know perfectly well how to use a microwave, provided they were explained it well.

So yeah, I'd like the Sim kids to be a little more independent and be able to stay at home alone for two hours without the warning message popping up

Well, by the time I was 9 I coul prepare a singe meal ( no microwawes in 1993 ) and used to be regulary the only person in the house ( apart the cat )So I do agree that sim children are at least too much dependant ...

It's mud cakes. You don't need electricity for that.

As for "childish children" (I thought it was a good thing that at least in a game children can still be just children and not mini adults full of mini adult burdens? but who knows) think of it from EA's point of view. They already get crap from all kinds of crazy people claiming the game is a bad influence on the poor defenseless youth because of this and that and that other reason - they really don't need more soccer moms picketing in front of the company because their game dared tell us that it's ok to leave little pixel children home alone and playing with appliances that not rarely set the entire pixel house on fire for comic effect. It may be a hassle for us players that we have to keep hiring nannies, yes, but try to see it from where they stand.

Yes, but I think children should, at the very least, be allowed to open the fridge and make a lunch-meat sandwich, or in the morning making a toaster pastry in the toaster or pour a bowl of cereal.

Same. Also walked to school by myself when I was 5, and made breakfast for myself and my brother when I was 7. Picked up my brother from school everyday and babysat all the time. I think sim kids should be able to make their own cereal and sandwich but other than that, let them be kids! Its no fun spending your childhood as an adult!

But they eat these cakes! And so do hungry teens and adults if there's a cake sitting on a table and kid's away...

I like the kids the way that they are, for the most part, although I do wish they could at least pour themselves a bowl of cereal. -.-

I'm pretty sure the little oven is similar to an Easy Bake Oven. When I was younger I used to make all sorts of little cakes and such using my Easy Bake. Of course my mom helped a bit but I was around 6. If Sim kids are around nine or ten they would probably be able to use a toy like that without much supervision.

There's a mod over at Simbology that allows children to cook, but it does require you to be registered to download (direct link if anyone is registered Kids Can Cook). It allows them to cook anything that teens or older can with the same cooking skill points, although the animations are a little odd.

Have you seen the FACES they make when they eat the little mud cakes? It's priceless!

Waitaminnit...we got our first microwave in the 70s!

I was programming in BASIC by the time I was 11 (this was 1984) and our parents left me and my sister by ourselves occasionally around that time--with explicit instructions on what to do and what not to do.

I was making my own lunches sometimes when I was in elementary school.

At least children can drink hot chocolate like coffee...they just can't make it.

I kinda like that they're dependent, and that they're still kinda in the learning stages. This kinda makes them an extension of the toddler stage ( which children are ), but you know...they can actually take a bath on their own.

^ ^

I usually play Family sims ( 'cause I'd probably be one in the Sims 2 when I think about it ), so I tend to baby them even up to their teen years. I guess it's just different for some people though, and not all parents are parents that like a dependent child, this doesn't make them bad parents, so I guess it would be kinda nice for those people to actually have the option of having a more independent child. Then again, when I think about it, what really makes a child independent? I mean, I'm just happy enough if they at least fix their bed, and wash the dishes, which they can do...and I think others can agree.

I will have to zoom in on them to see that, I never paid attention

lol have you "Simmers" notice that in the buy mode section of the game for the children that when you buy the "Swing Set" and place it in the sims yard for the children to swing on. Who do you think stay on it the most? They will sometime wake up in the cold of winter in go out to get on it instead of the kids hahahahahaa lmao GUESS WHO? > The darn "Adults" make me laugh everytime I always say to myself this is for the children not you adult, even the "Elders" will do it and please do not invite a adult sim over they will head straight to the swing set. Make me wonder at time just who are the real kids hahahahaa lol