Potty training tips for boys

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   jenuboukaposted 13 years ago

   Anyone have tips for potty training boys?  Note:  Keep in mind he only has mommy to do the training, so any ideas are greatly appreciated!

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   shea duaneposted 13 years ago

   My son did great because I would sit him on the potty and give him a picture book he could only use on the potty. He started asking me every time he had to go because he could sit and 'read' his book.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That is a great idea shea!  There is one particular book I can use.

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   The Writers Dogposted 13 years ago

   We did not have any trouble with my youngest brother when it came to toilet training, apart from getting him to stand up to go #1. He was still sitting for everyting at 7 1/2.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The one thing I fear is that he will get um creative with his extra body part so I think I would be okay with this.  This is pretty funny though.

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   Shesabutterflyposted 13 years ago

   We give my nephew two books to read when sitting on the potty. It also helps to give them a small treat for sitting long enough and two for sitting and actually going potty. We usually use candy like smarties or M&M's where they can have something small but to them it still feels like they are getting rewarded.
   
   Putting him on every hour to hour an a half also helps in trying to figure out his schedule so he will actually go in the potty. Another tip might be to try putting on pull ups. They are easier to pull up and down and make sitting on the potty easier than taking off and on a diaper.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That is awesome, every hour  or so is great!  I tried to run him to the toilet every time he appeared to be going #2, but it turned into a game and we just sat there while he pretended to go.
      Pull ups are a great idea and think I will switch over to those.  There was an article about "boot camp potty training" where you just rough it out for a couple of days and just use underwear, although I don't have the stomach for that if you get my drift.

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   angela pposted 13 years ago

   I think boys are harder to train than girls.  I have two of each and the boys took longer.  My youngest son just got the hang of going poop on the potty.  It took me taking him to the bathroom every 30 minutes or so and having him just try to go while talking to him or either letting him read a book.  I would tell him that we were just practicing.  I would set the egg timer in the kitchen and when it went off we headed to the toilet.  It was time consuming and a pain but it sure did work and after about a week he started telling me he had to go poop.  We did the same with pee pee time but he picked that up much quicker than poop.  Good Luck and just have patience.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I have heard that too Angela.  Why this is boggles me, they have it easier. 
      A week is not bad at all to get the hang of it.  Did you have a toilet seat extender?  I have one I think I will have to use that because he freaks out a little hovering over the thing.  Thanks and yes patience will be the root of this.

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   angela pposted 13 years ago

   We tried the toilet seat extender at first but he didn't like it.  He was also scared of falling in - ha.  So we told him that holding himself up made his muscles big and he bought that.  He will catch on in time.  My pediatrician told me that very few kids go to kindergarden with diapers on.  So it will happen even though it seems like it will take forever.  Good Luck.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Update:  Just last night before bath time the little guy lifted up the toilet seat and aimed, put down the seat, flushed the toilet and then washed his hands.  While he did not go I was over whelmed with inspiration that he might just "catch" on in his own time as he has always been stubborn.  Thank you for your insight!

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   leahleflerposted 13 years ago

   Good luck! My only advice is to make sure he's ready before you start training - we started my older son a bit too soon and it just prolonged the training process.
   
   We did a toilet seat extender for my firstborn and a little potty for my younger son, and I would say the little potty was easier at first because it was easier to get to. We transitioned him to the "big toilet" when he was a little bigger and could get on it without help (my younger one was rather small for his age).
   
   We also keep a basket of books by the toilet - both boys are fully trained now (one is in kindergarten and the other is in Pre-kindergarten), so they do eventually catch on to the subject!

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think that is great and adorable to have a basket of books by the toilet, on their way to becoming men.

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   vway01posted 13 years ago

   I put pepper in the toilet and told him he had to sink it with his pee-pee! It became a game and he quickly learned that when he needed to go potty he could aim at the pepper with his pee pee stick.

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That is great, last night he used his"unit" like a fire hose so this will be a great tool.

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   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   I had three reluctant-learners - two boys and a girl.  I think if they get "on the old side" (two-and-a-half or older) and are still in diapers, there can be a new set of issues that are easy to overlook (unless you've been through it before and have seen a pattern  ).  I wrote a Hub about what I figured out (or am pretty sure I figured out, at least about my own children).  They're smarter after two-and-a-half.  They know enough to worry about some things that a more clueless eighteen-month toddler doesn't. 
   
   As for the boy/girl thing, I didn't do anything different with any of them.  I think it's more important that they first start using the toilet and get past any "issues" associated with getting used to not relying on diapers.  The "difference factor" can be dealt with later once they've gotten used to just using the toilet.  I just mentioned that "feature" to my sons somewhere along the way after they'd been using the toilet for a good, long, time but before they began kindergarten.  I don't know...   My kids were all tiny little kids, so maybe I just assumed that until my sons were past four they weren't tall enough for any "alternative methods" anyway.  Other than that, I just assumed they'd figure it out on their own. 

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      jenuboukaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Great Advice Lisa, I will check out the hub.  I think he is starting to "figure" it out and I am sure he is getting a kick out of my amazement and praise when he applies himself without any encouragement.  He will be three next month though I don't want to force him, but on the same hand I am ready to close the diaper stage, sniff sniff.

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