potty fishing

Alex wanted to fish. He needed to fish. So he finds a rod and some fish and happily goes in search of water. The tub takes too long to fill, the kitchen is too high to reach. The bathroom sink is being used for soaking his underpants that he peed on heavily (by accident, he insists).

He then finds a pool of water, just sitting there, waiting to be used as a fishing pond. He is ready to throw in the fish when I spot him. 

"Alex, please don't fish in the potty"

He turns around, quizzical. "Oh", he says looking lost.

I turn to leave when he asks "why?".

Does he seriously not know? I mean he is totally potty trained by now, he knows to wash hands after going to the toilet.

"because you pee and poop there. It's dirty".

"but it's flushed. It's clean now"

"um..... well, sometimes you pee and forget to flush"

He proceeds to flush the toilet.

"it's clean now"

The hygiene talk is not going anywhere so I need to change strategies.

"what if mommy needs to go pee right now and you are fishing there? There will be no time for you to pick up the fish and it will get dirty"

"you can use the other potty"

It was a comeback I did not expect. He is getting good at this.

"Ummmm, it's too far if I really wanted to go now"

"oh, okay"

Phew, he bought it!

So he takes his rod and fish and starts fishing on the carpet in front of the bathroom.

I am satisfied with my interaction with him thinking I have mastered the art of child rearing.

I go in the bathroom just to check he didn't do anything in the bowl or splash water around.

I notice a spot on the mirror so I start wiping and then I start cleaning the hand washing sink and then wipe down the toilet ending with another flush.

I come out of the bathroom seeing him content and happy.

He looks up.

"Is it clean in there?"

"of course"

"yeah! now I can fish!"