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How Do I Potty Train My Boy?

March 11th, 2015

Thank you Angela Davenport for the Suggestion.

I’m only going to introduce 2 links in this blog. This first link is pretty much a 3 page advertisement for a product you may or may not want to buy. I included this article because the author demonstrates how you can emotionally hit rock bottom while trying to potty train your child. She also shares a few myths about potty training that you may be guilty of. Sorry! This is no longer a good link. I’ll have to rewrite this blog during the next update. Potty Training: The Top 3 Potty Training Myths.

My ex-wife and I have an only child and she’s a girl. Still her potty training counts here because I think boys should be taught the same way initially. After they use the potty regularly they can be taught to stand up and I have little flashes of memory about what that was like. This article, How to Potty Train Boys, concurs with many of my beliefs on this issue.

When potty training my daughter I can remember how important it was that every time she was in the bathroom it was a positive experience. I have no problem raising the pitch of my voice so that potty training was like one continuous celebration. Many professionals believe children respond better to higher pitches. Every time she entered the bathroom I’d ask her if she had to go potty. She’d come to know what potty meant by association. Her mother and I were not modest about using the bathroom around her and we’d simply repeat the word potty a couple of times when we were on the toilet. We’d also invite her to sit on her potty chair as well. By the way I sat to urinate while we were training her.

At first you want t get the pants down as quickly as possible so it’s ill advised to let them work their own pants at the start. Once she’d gotten an idea of the importance of getting her pants down we’d encourage her to start pulling them down herself (pull ups are definitely a big help here).

We’d ask “Do you have to use the potty every time she was in the bathroom and certain times outside of the bathroom (if she grunted or held her genitalia) until it was totally random (asking during the middle of a movie). When ever she did her business on the potty we’d add applause to the ongoing celebration. I think if you choose to use a treat or goodie along with the applause it wouldn’t be out of line. Just remember before you start down that road you’ll have to ween them off and that may be a little anti-climactic.

When the most probable happens; an accident, clean them, set them on the potty and repeat the word potty a couple of times; maybe in a less festive but not negative voice.

With a boy you have to teach him to work with his equipment even when sitting. You simply hold pennis down for him the first few times but use his hand to hold it down eventually and always associate it with words like “hold your penis down”. It’s essential that he understands the importance of what he’s doing so work with him until he has had a few successes. Some prefer the hands free method and both can get messy but he has to learn to manipulate his penis inevitably.  He will catch on quickly.

Finally I had never seen a man stand up to urinate until I witnessed it in a public rest room at a urinal. I have the vaguest memory of feeling that “I’ll be a man if I can stand up and pee”. So dad’s and brothers if you don’t think it’s too weird let the already potty trained toddler see you standing. He’ll want to do it too. This is where the previous handling of equipment will pay off.

So to recap,

• Keep the bathroom and process a positive package at all times.
• Role model sitting down (I suggest a separate potty chair). Children love to mimic.
• After some success encourage independence.
• Lavish praise. Good girl, or atta boy. My daughter says I speak to toddlers the same way I speak to pets. I do.
• Then role model standing up. He’ll understand he’s going through stages.

Daycare can come into play for some parents. Personally I think it’s far too important of a bonding process to be handled institutionally. Some parents don’t have a choice. Train at home the same way they train at daycare. It will be a lot easier on the child and be given to more success.

Potty training my girl was a blast and very successful. I hope you meet with the same kind of success with your little girl or in this case boy. Until next time, keep your homes well.

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