Tips for Potty Training Boys

It's that crucial time in your parenthood when you think it's time to potty train your boy. But you're worried and your mind is crowded with millions of questions - Should I do it now? Should I wait for a few months? Should I scold him if he doesn't get it right? First of all, take a deep breath and let us help you out.

The reason we concentrate on boys is because boys tend to have an extended 'diaper period' than girls. So also, because they use two different mechanisms, one for urinating (standing up) and two for passing stools (sitting down). This makes it necessary to train boys differently.

Average Age for Potty Training Boys

When the question of potty training is raised, the main question asked will be - What is the right age to potty train? There is no right age for this. Some boys might start using the potty as early as 2 years, while others might not want to go even at age 4. The average age for potty training boys is anywhere from 18-24 months. This is because it is during this time they develop the necessary cognitive and physical skills. Wait for a time when your son has enough control over his bladder before starting the training.

Observe his behavior and mannerisms and you will know if he is ready to be potty trained. Check to see if he can walk properly; if he can control his urine and does not go every 15-20 minutes; if he can generate quite a flow when urinating; if he doesn't like the wet feel of the diaper; if he tells or portrays certain specific mannerisms which shows that he needs to go; he has well formed stools at regular times, etc. Once you see these signs, you will know that he is ready to potty train. Anytime before these will not be favorable because unless he is ready to, he won't potty train.

Tips for Potty Training Boys

Welcome to the Big World
Don't get tensed and force your tensions and expectations onto your boy. Instead, turn potty training into a game. Tell him that this is what all adults do, and that he will be a big boy once he learns to use the potty. This will get him excited enough to try it out.

Role Model
All young kids need a role model to follow, someone they look up to, to learn all the skills and behavior from. Similarly potty training should also be done by helping him imitate someone. Get the father to show him how. Once he sees his father do it, he will want to follow.

Personalize the Potty
It is a good idea to start off potty training by buying him a potty that is his size. Take him to shop for a potty and let him buy something that he likes, in the color that he chooses. Make him decorate and personalize it with stick ons. He should know that it is his and it is an accomplishment when he feeds his pot.

Make him Comfortable with the Potty
It is necessary that he does not view the potty as a threat. Get him comfortable with the idea of sitting on a potty. Try it with letting him keep his pants on and practicing sitting on it, and when he seems comfortable with that, get him to do it without his pants. One can also use his favorite toy to demonstrate. Kids love their toys and make them do all that they themselves do. So seeing his toy going at the potty will encourage him to do the same.

Train him to Sit First
Train your boy to use the potty sitting down initially. This will teach him that he needs to do both in the pot. The distinction between sitting and standing for the different toilet actions can be learned later when he has mastered to use the potty. Until then he should not get distracted with spraying around. Once the potty training is done, he can learn to pee while standing.

Reward his Actions
In the beginning of the training, when he successfully uses the potty, reinforce his positive behavior by rewarding his actions. For example, buy him new underwear or make him his favorite snack. This will help him associate using the potty as a positive thing. But discontinue this once he gets the hang of it or he will expect to be rewarded every time. It can also lead him to have wrong notions about your expectations of him and can make him nervous to perform.

Diapers and Underpants
You will have to decide what to use. Once you start potty training, keeping your son in diapers will not be feasible because he'll just fall back to his diaper habits. Instead, let him wear underpants throughout the day with short intervals of diaper time or when he sleeps at night. This will help him get used to the feeling of underwear and the uncomfortable feeling of wetness in the thin material. The more he stays out of the diapers, the better and faster he will learn.

Make the Pot Accessible
Keep the pot in his peripheral vision at all times and encourage him to use it whenever he feels the need to go. Having it in front of him when he plays, for example, will eliminate any fears he has harbored towards the pot.

Be Patient
When your boy is training, he might have quite a few accidents and training problems. One must remember never to scold him as it will only lead to him regressing back a few steps. Whatever success one had achieved will be lost. Try and encourage your baby to take as much time as he wants to perfect the skill.

Keep him Motivated
Potty training can take time and it is often difficult to keep the motivation for using the potty high. In order that he continues to potty train, one must invent methods to encourage him. For example, every time he goes to the bathroom you can play him his favorite nursery rhyme or you can treat him to a sweet or candy from the store. Anything that will keep him at it is good.

Nighttime Potty Training
Once kids start to learn potty training, they will learn to stay dry during the day but staying dry at night is not so easy. It varies from child to child and how their bodies respond. It depends on whether your child can control his urges for long periods of time that he is asleep. Always use a diaper when he sleeps or if he does not like it, place a rubber mat on the bed. If after several days his bed isn't dry, start using diapers again and try ditching them after some days again. Overtime your child will learn to control his bladder muscle during the nights as well. Explain to him that there is nothing wrong with him wetting the bed at night. Control his intake of fluid after 6 pm and make sure he uses the bathroom immediately before he goes to bed.

Celebrate
Once he has learned to use the potty, celebrate the feat! Let him know that he is a big boy and treat him to something nice.

Hopefully these tips for potty training boys have been helpful. Remember, the most important thing when potty training your boy is to let him take his own time, do not force or pressurize and you'll see his transformation from diapers to the potty in no time. All the best!