Some Children also give xp bonus that can be nice in impossible mode alas only few chance it happens. Until later in the game you haven't yet collect so many good items and then Children can be nice alas the random factor can be ugly.
Also Leadership and int bonus can be nice too, I don't remember any item giving % bonus for int and leadership.
In my last game I get something like +10% xp, +10 rage, +10% and +20% mana with the zombie wife soon in the game. During dwarf area I switch to wife frog and attempt Children at beginning of Elf Islands... after getting a poor +4 scrolls, I load back and gave up trying Children.
