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The rules of potty training

As parents, we establish rules for our children.  Rules that will allow them to be well-functioning people.  However, I've quickly learned that, in order for my children to truly become well-functioning, there are very specific rules that must be spoken aloud...especially regarding potty training.

  1. No toys in the potty.
  2. When I say no toys in the potty, that specifically means you cannot throw toys into the potty - even if they are "swimming" toys.
  3. No food in the potty.
  4. No food in the potty also includes no PB&Js get flushed down the potty.
  5. Granola bars also do not get flushed down the potty.
  6. Nothing that goes into your mouth should go into the potty.
  7. # 6 includes hands.
  8. We push down our pants AND underwear before sitting on the potty.
  9. If needed, you may take off your pants and underwear before sitting on the potty.
  10. We sit on the potty.
  11. #10 is further defined by We do not stand on the potty.
  12. #10 is even further defined by When we sit on the potty, we do it with the lid open and sitting in a manner which would put all pee and poop directly into the potty.
  13. We use toilet paper to wipe from front to back.
  14. We do not use the entire toilet paper roll in one sitting.
  15. If the toilet paper is out, you refill it.
  16. We do not cause the toilet paper to be out by flushing the entire roll down the potty so that you can refill it.
  17. We let Mommy or Daddy wipe your bum if you have pooped.
  18. Children will be taught to wipe their own bum when they are older.
  19. We do not let other people wipe our bums unless they have been approved by Mommy or Daddy and are being properly compensated for having to deal with everything that comes out of your bum.
  20. When finished pottying, we flush the potty.
  21. You can - but do not have to - say "Goodbye" to the pee and/or poop in the potty.
  22. We shut the potty lid.
  23. We shut the potty lid carefully so that we do not endanger future generations of our family.
  24. We pull up our underwear AND THEN our pants.
  25. #24 is further defined by ...before we leave the potty.
  26. We wash our hands after every potty attempt.
  27. We use soap when we wash our hands.
  28. We wash the tops, bottoms and in betweens of our hands.
  29. We turn off the water after washing our hands.
  30. We do not play in the water.
  31. After washing our hands, we do not go back to touching the potty.
  32. We turn off the light before leaving the potty.

Are there rules that I have forgotten? Add them in the comments below and share this post with your friends so that we can get a full and complete list.

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