How do you play your game?

I would like say I let them do their own thing and jump in occasionally, but I establish dos and don'ts for all the sims in my world using the caste system from Nraas and then I let them do whatever. I have huge families, so I cannot control everything they do. I sure try my hardest. I guess I control important things such as (who becomes their partners, what non-trait based skills they build, how many children they have, and friendships), but everything else I either roll with it and go forth based on the sims' wishes.