Do You Have Any Tips On Potty Training A Boy?

United States
December 7, 2008 1:11pm CST
I'm a single mother and I'm really unsure of how to potty train a boy. I mean, boys go to the bathroom different than girls. I don't really have any men around that he can see go potty either. He says just about everytime we go to the bathroom, "Potty" and he sits on his potty chair. Does anyone have any tips on potty training a boy?
2 people like this
9 responses
• United States
9 Dec 08
I through cherios in the toilet and told my son to aim for the hole. Another way is to tell him that when a boy goes potty he can make bubbles. Take a bottle of other way of "spraying" water in the toile to demonstrate. Other than that use the reward system. What I have learned is that no a woman can't teach a boy to stand and pee she can talk him through it. If he needs to sit down for a while, common sense will kick in for him and he will stand to pee. lol Its funny because as single mothers raising boys we always think we can't do it since we aren't men. But I think we are more capable of it than we think we are. You are doing the best you can and 9 times out of 10 it will just come to him and he will pee pee in the potty. Oh thats a good one to sing the silly song. Pee Pee in the potty Pee Pee in the potty. As long as he dosen't see it a "different" thing and everyone goes in the potty im sure he will do just fine.
3 people like this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I know many moms who had husbands around and still taught their sons to pee sitting down. It was about the mess for them. That way their sons were going on their own at an ealier age. Eventually they will see daddy or a friend at a later age, when they have better aim and just figure it out for themselves. I taught my son standing, using a potty chair first and then graduating to the big potty when he could reach. I cleaned lots of messes! If I had to do it over I might not have started the peeing process on the potty chair at all. It was needed for the other process so I'm glad I had it, but.... My personal opinion is that boys need to be allowed to do it in their own time. Girls can be coached a little more but I think in this area boys need to do some figuring out on their own.
2 people like this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Do you find yourself missing the days of actually going the bathroom alone and in peace? Best of luck to you.
2 people like this
• United States
9 Dec 08
Yes, I'm not trying to pressure him into using the potty. If he goes in the bathroom with me and he says, "Potty" then I ask if he needs to go potty. If he heads to the potty chair then I take his diaper off and let him sit on the potty chair. He has yet to actually use the potty chair, but I'm hoping soon he will and then I can get all excited and proud of him and hopefully that will encourage him to do it more. Thanks for the comment. Happy MyLotting!
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Dec 08
Yes I do!
1 person likes this
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
7 Dec 08
I'm not sure if this is the type of advice your looking for but here's what worked best for my son. I'd simply throw Cheerios into the toilet bowl and tell him to aim :) I can't even remember where I picked up that idea from but it worked. It made it alot of fun for him and easy on me.
2 people like this
• United States
8 Dec 08
Yes, I've heard of mothers doing that before. I'm sure it does look like fun for a boy. Thanks for the tip! Happy MyLotting!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Although I never did that, I have heard of people having great responses.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
8 Dec 08
My son did not have a guy around to show him either. He learned to go sitting down at first. After he had that mastered we worked on standing to pee. I personally think teaching them to be consistent sitting down was easier to do before worrying about the standing thing. Most of the time at home my son still sits. Easier than aiming I guess.
2 people like this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I also thought it was better to get them in the habit of going then let them figure out how to do the standing thing later! Honestly, I think EVERYONE should sit down to pee...
1 person likes this
@jadegoat (89)
• United States
8 Dec 08
Hi, I have a almost 4 year old son. He started by sitting on the potty. I do have my hubby around, but I did most of the training while he was at work. My son still will not poop in the potty for some reason he thinks it hurts??? But he has been out of diapers since he was just over two. He brings me a diaper when he has to do # 2. Do you have your dad or brothers around? If you do I would recommend once he masters the sitting down, to have one of them start to show him how boys go. Or if you have any friends around with young boys that are completely potty trained you could have them show him. Often times children love to model themselves after older children. It would only take once or twice and then you reinforce him going like (so and so) He will catch on. Good Luck
2 people like this
• United States
8 Dec 08
All my family lives about 200 miles away so I don't really have anyone to show him how boys do it. Thanks for the advice. Happy MyLotting!
1 person likes this
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
9 Dec 08
He's young, right? I don't remember peeing like a dude at that age. There just wasn't enough to hold on to. When he gets older he will pee like a dude. Men are lazy and once they figure out they don't have to sit down every time to potty they will just do what is natural. Besides he might not aim really good at that age. You don't want to step in pee every time you potty. :P
2 people like this
• United States
9 Dec 08
You could be right. Thanks for the comment!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Although their father was around when they were younger, I still did 90% of the potty training with my boys. From the time they were infants, I always took them in the bathroom with me, so I could watch them when I had to "go". When my oldest was about 18 months old he started to want to go "potty" with me so I'd sit him on his chair. After a while he "accidentally" went and since then it was really easy for him. It was a while before I even introduced standing for him. My youngest though, he had absolutely no interest in going potty and wasn't quite as easy to do. That was real work, always chasing him down, running to the bathroom... I think the important part is to get them to be in the habit of going, don't worry about semantics right now.
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I had my son wear boxers instead of briefs. For some reason it seemed to work. I think the briefs felt more like his diapers did. It could have been a coincidence, I'm not sure, but he did potty train pretty quickly.
2 people like this
@hildas (3031)
8 Dec 08
Sorry, I have four daughters but did not want to pass your discussion by. I hope you get your son trained ok. Take care.