The Sims 4 Growing Together: Family Dynamics Explained

Over time, The Sims 4 adds various features to make the game more (and sometimes less) realistic. The Growing Together expansion brings the realism notch up significantly by completely revamping the game’s interaction system. With features like family dynamics, milestones and additional socialization options, your Sims conversations will feel like more than just spamming chat buttons constantly. If you’d like to learn more, continue reading to find a comprehensive guide on family dynamics added in The Sims 4’s Growing Together expansion pack.

Updated July 7, 2023, by Madison Benson: Added more information about each family dynamic and how to develop them.

The Sims 4 Growing Together – Family Dynamics Explained

Below are the family dynamics you’ll find in The Sims 4:

• Close
• Distant
• Supportive
• Permissive
• Difficult
• Strict
• Jokesters

Of everything added to this pack, family dynamics are one of the more complicated systems that influence how your Sims interact. You can change them from the Create-a-Sim menu or develop them throughout your playthroughs as your characters converse.

Related: How to Build a Treehouse in The Sims 4: Growing Together

Your characters’ dynamic will determine how often they use specific social interactions and their comfort around each other. For example, if two of your Sims are Jokesters, they’re more likely to share jokes and gain Playful moodlets. In particular, these dynamics significantly change how a parent Sim interacts with their children. They can lead your parent Sim to spend more or less time with the child, asking them to clean more or have difficulty socializing altogether.

Related: How to Reach Maximum Body Potential in The Sims 4

All Family Dynamics in The Sims 4 Listed

Below you’ll find some brief descriptions of each family dynamic, which you can use to either try to naturally develop them between two Sims or help you decide which ones you want to assign:

• Close – The two Sims have a powerful, tight-knit relationship and share Deep Thoughts more often.
• Distant – The two Sims interact less frequently and typically use Small Talk.
• Supportive – The older Sim provides affection and compliments to the younger Sim more often, while the younger Sim is more comfortable sharing their struggles.
• Permissive – The younger Sim tends to be more demanding while the older Sim lets these interactions slide without consequence.
• Difficult – The two Sims are more likely to complain and use mean interactions with each other.
• Strict – The younger Sim greatly respects the older Sim but may become stressed in their presence. The older Sim will also act demanding toward the younger Sim.
• Jokesters – The two Sims joke with each other more often. They’ll also gain Playful moodlets just for being in each other’s presence.

Alongside these interactions, you’re also more likely to develop sentiments such as Adoring, Bitter or Close ones, depending on how they speak. These dynamics often randomly appear as your Sims interact with one another. However, if you want a particular one to appear, you can force a few conversations to happen with specific topics until the pop-up appears.

Related: Are There Baby Changing Tables in The Sims 4? – Answered

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