potty-training a boy?!?!?!?

**Madmushki** · 10-12-2010 02:22 PM

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know if I can be considered a 'new mother' but I should since he's my first child, haha. This is my problem:

I've helped my sisters with encouraging their daughters to potty, but I was never really there for the actual beginnings of it. My son will be 2 in December and I don't know what to do. My husband doesn't either and expects me to work it out, my sisters and mother just tell me to stick with it (but they won't tell me what "it" is) and my mother-in-law---well, from what I've seen she does the "go diaperless" method and I'm not too comfortable with that (I'd ask her more about it, but I can't speak that much of the language yet [hubby and his family are from Bangladesh]). I'm even more clueless about the whole thing because he's a little boy! Is it different for boys? Can boys sit down n pee or is it only standing up??? I know I sound a bit ignorant about this but it's because I am, especially concerning the workings of the male anatomy.....HELP PLEASE!!!

**Olympia** · 10-12-2010 02:36 PM

Madmushki,
First, YES, boys can sit down to pee.. both mine did when potty training. 2nd, there are numerous books on the subject, and different ways to approach this. Check out your local library..
When it came time, i was at home with them part time. I would have them diaper free and take them into the bathroom periodically. Purchase "COOL" underware with their favorite cartoon character on it. And rewarded them when they did with a sticker they could place on a chart i made. I also made sure that the chart was visible, so they could show daddy or friends when we had guests, They were BIG BOYs and used the potty.. Also i used back ups.. or rather..Pull-ups, lol during bed times. As that is a bit harder to start. But gradually they worked their way to underware, and standing to pee... Just thinking back, brought a smile to my face.. Been a while since i thought about that.. Hope it helps, and remember to check out your local library..

**Olympia** · 10-12-2010 02:48 PM

Ooo.. also use a potty chair for kids. The standard is too tall and the opening too large. Don't want them loosing balance and falling in. That would frighten them and cause issues with continuing the training.

**LanaBear** · 10-12-2010 03:22 PM

Both my boys learned to pee sitting down first, then once they started going regularly, they started standing up to pee. Although, now, I just with they'd sit down. I'm tired of cleaning up bathrooms, is it that hard to point into a toilet. lol

**donna88** · 10-13-2010 07:12 AM

My son was 2 in July and I'm having problems potty training him...he loves his potty and calls it his big boy toilet, however, he'll only sit in it with his pants on!!! He seems to panic whenever we mention it when he's naked. I'm not really sure what to do, everyone keeps telling me he's young and that he'll just do it when he's ready. But it is quite frustrating, he will ask to go to the toilet but then refuses to sit on it once he gets there :s

**WildChild** · 10-13-2010 08:37 AM

I have a daughter and a son and yes, boys can be a bit tougher with this. I also started him sitting down with his own potty. They come with a shield for boys to use when seated to reduce the 'accidental' shooting straight ahead. The diaperless thing can be effective, much less hassle.

If you live in the country you can let him pee outside. Actually if you live in the country you will have years of water saving because they won't pee indoors unless there is a raging blizzard and then you will have to firmly stop them from just opening the door and aiming into the storm. (I really hate yellow snow on the door step). They will pee off the balcony, have contests with other boys to see who can send it the furthest, you will have to firmly instill limits as to when just whipping it out to pee in public is not acceptable.

Olympia has covered it pretty well. I used stickers and a full page earned an action figure or small lego box.

**rhiannon34** · 10-17-2010 07:15 PM

My first son was 3-1/2 before we would start #2-ing in the tiolet, it was a nightmare. I started when he was 2, and I kinda nazied him on the tiolet training, feeling like I HAD to get him tiolet trained at a certain age. He fought me tooth and nail. And everyone I have ever asked about it, they said their boys took much longer than girls. My now 3 year old was a breeze, he is using the potty great now, and I didn't try near as hard with him, just kept it fun and kinda "if you do, you do, if you don't, you don't" and didn't make a huge issue out of it. He started with a little kids potty, and he sat down to pee. Wasn't long before he was using the regular tiolet and peeing standing up. Just remember, if you don't get him potty trained by a certain age, it won't hurt a thing, he will learn eventually.

**Lunar Keiki** · 10-18-2010 04:12 PM

Mistake one I made with my son at about 2 1/2-3: I let him pick out his own underwear, which he was very excited about. Couldn't wait to wear them. Then I told him that he can't wet them because they are not like diapers. That was that. He refused to wear them anymore! Oh well!

Good choice I made: I let him pick out his own potty chair. Only thing is--he picks out the deluxe model which plays music and all. Okay, whatever--if it will work. He used it regularly.

Circumstances in my favor: I ran out of diapers. Even in the diaper bag. So that was that. Took him to the store. Told him we were buying pull up and the over night ones, but that was that. No more diapers. Pull ups for traveling only and he had to wear his underwear. He fussed and argued, but I stuck to my guns. He was trained within 4 days and only a handful of accidents, and none at night.

I think I really lucked out.