User blog comment:Nikel23/The Sims 4 - no story progression/@comment-1519608-20140702163239

I don't think this is a full return to The Sims 2- style gameplay. The other Sims will still simulate day-to-day lives, but they won't make important decisions like marrying or having kids. So realistically, all you need to do is visit the households every so often and have them WooHoo, and then leave them alone and let them raise the kid all by themselves. In TS2, nothing happens in any household without your direct involvement.