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I was wondering if there was a standard amount by which citadel paints should be watered? Would like to pre-prepare all of my paints as I find with kids around my times to paint are often stop/start affairs and so I rather paint straight from the pot (rather than preparing paint externally, getting called away and returning to find it all dried out/wasted).

It'll depend on the condition of your paints. I have had good luck with 3 : 2 paint to distilled water, and this may work for you. I would suggest trying this outside of the pot to find what works, and also suggest to top your paints with a bit of water after each session, to slow down the drying that occurs with open paint pots (you're probably already doing this anyway). There are also flow-aid and slow-dri additives that are options.

I have not thinned the paints directly in the pots before. I do not know if doing so will have an impact on their shelf life.

You might want to try making a wet palette. Here's a video showing how to make one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96mjmqWTPfM
The author also extolls the virtues and is humorous. The main benefit is that the paint you have in the container will stay viable between sessions with the lid on, and the water from below will help keep the paint thinned appropriately.

If you really like it you could buy the P3 (or any other company's) palette paper. At my local shop they have a pad for $10 and it's probably a lifetime supply since the paper can be reused. I've read in a few blogs that the palette paper works better than parchment paper. I would not use wax paper on top of the palette, that has a moisture barrier.

Depend on which paint as well. Watering down a Base paint is not the same as watering down a Layer one.

There is no set amount as all colors have different consistences. like thinning white compared to black or browns is crazy.

It would be best to thin them one pot at a time and test it to see what consistency you are going for.

I also pre-wet the brush. I at also depends on how much you load on before you put the paint on the tip.

I usually go for a 3:1 (paint/water) ratio for basecoating, 3:2 for layering, and 1:1 for highlighting.

Is there any way of diluting in the pot and/or easily decanting the pots into another container so that they can be premixed?

It sounds like you should start using a wet pallette.

hasdrubalsbrother wrote:
Is there any way of diluting in the pot and/or easily decanting the pots into another container so that they can be premixed?

You can buy dropper bottle from China on eBay, very cheaply.

Alternatively, as suggested you could buy a wet palette. I say buy rather than make, because you mention the stop-start. Privateer Press offer one with a closing lid. Once snapped shut, your paint is good for at least a day.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
...Privateer Press offer one with a closing lid.

So do about a metric gazillion plastics companies. Pretty much any shallow plastic container will do, so long as the lid seals well.

GW basing kits like grass tufts and such come in the perfect container for a wet palette.

It will fit a standard kitchen sponge off the bat, and p3 wet palette liners fit with only minor trimming. Further, they are shallow enough that you don't have a lot of air in there.

 insaniak wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
...Privateer Press offer one with a closing lid.

So do about a metric gazillion plastics companies. Pretty much any shallow plastic container will do, so long as the lid seals well.

I was just thinking it comes pretty much set up with papers as well, for those with less free time.