7 Tips for Potty Training Boys

 

For new moms, potty training boys can seem like one of the greatest mysteries of motherhood. You, like many other moms, probably have many have questions about when you should start toilet training your boy and what normal behaviors can be expected during potty training. The following seven tips will help you to toilet train your little boy.

The noise that toilets make when they flush scare some children. If your little boy acts like he is afraid of the toilet, wait until after he leaves the bathroom to flush. When possible, avoid noisy public restrooms until your little one is comfortable using the potty. Many malls and a few shops and restaurants are installing single-stall family restrooms that provide toddlers with a more friendly environment for potty training. Some even have kid-sized urinals and toilets.

For other little boys, it is the size of the toilet that they find frightening. Parents can pick up child sized seats that slip securely over the top of standard toilet seats. This helps alleviate any fears of falling in that toddlers might have. Many have handles on the sides to help children stay steady while sitting on the toilet.

Toilets can seem pretty tall to tiny tots. Many boys will happily use a stool to step up to the potty. Others feel wobbly and unsure standing on stools. Some moms find their boys are more willing to try using the toilet if they allow them to stand on their feet while they try to go. This gets the child a little closer to where he needs to be to go potty and gives him comfort knowing his mommy is right there should something go wrong while trying this strange new thing. If your child simply cannot overcome his fear of standing in front of the toilet to pee, let him sit down. There is plenty of time for him to learn to pee like his daddy when he gets bigger and is more comfortable with the toilet.

There are many parts to the bathroom ritual from a toddler’s perspective. Some parts, such as washing hands or taking toilet paper off the roll, seem more fun to toddlers. Other parts, like sitting down or flushing, may frighten children first learning to use the toilet. Even if your little boy is not ready to complete the entire toilet ritual his first few times going potty, he should be encouraged and applauded for his efforts. The next time he goes, he may be willing to go a step further. Eventually he will be going potty just like a big boy.

Some parents set themselves up for potty training problems by making the bathroom inaccessible to their toddler. When moms are ready to begin potty training boys, childproof latches should be removed from toilet lids and bathroom doors. Baby gates that prevent access to the bathroom should be taken down. Toddlers may become resistant to learning to use the toilet when they cannot make it to the bathroom during potty training due to these physical obstructions.

Toddlers are great imitators. Early on they develop an interest in remote controls, cell phones, car keys and other adult trappings that they see their parents using every day. Parents can use this natural curiosity about adult things to get their children interested in using the potty on their own, too. The Brazelton method of potty training, described in “Toilet Training Methods, Clinical Interventions, and Recommendations” by Dr. TB Brazelton (1991), suggests that parents allow their children to watch them use the toilet. In time, children will begin to imitate their parents behavior by sitting on the potty in their diaper.

Many children will continue to have accidents during the night or when they are busy playing for some time after they begin using the toilet. Moms should be patient when potty training boys and avoid showing any anger or aggression when their little ones have accidents. Accidents can be prevented if moms encourage children to try to potty more frequently. Moms should also learn to recognize the warning signs that a child is delaying a trip to the potty. Grabbing at the crotch, doing “the pee-pee dance” and sudden squatting are all signs that your little one may be delaying a trip to the restroom. Until age 5, moms should carry a spare change of clothes when they take their little one out just in case.

Your little boy will probably let you know when he is ready to begin potty training. Some toddlers begin to show in an interest in the toilet at around 18 months. Most will be toilet trained by the time they are 3 years of age. Every child develops at his own pace. Potty training boys is easy once your child is physically and mentally ready to begin using the toilet on his own.