Potty training a boy

**warramra** · 06-25-2008, 04:43 PM

My son is 20 months old and is displaying the signs of readiness for potty training. He will not keep a diaper or pull-up on, pulling it off whenever he needs to urinate. He follows directions and will sit on his potty for 2-3 minute stretches, but will not urinate unless he is standing up. I cannot get him to aim into the potty, as he thinks this is for sitting on.

I've thought about putting some cheerios in there for him to aim at, but he has no aversion to picking up stuff and putting it in his mouth. I helped his three older sisters potty train by having an open-door policy with me, should I just turn him over to his dad for this? Help how do you get a boy to pee in the potty instead of wherever he is standing at the moment?

TIA

**luv-my-lexi** · 06-25-2008, 05:53 PM

I have never had a boy but my friends have said they have them watch their daddy (if your hubby doesn't mind). That way he sees what he is supposed to be doing and when he starts trying to copy him, hopefully, he will be aiming toward the potty.

**DJ1972** · 06-25-2008, 07:03 PM

DH helped alot with the potty training of DS. I will also have to say, DD was much easier to potty train than DS. She was in cotton panties by 22 months...he was around 34 months before we could just use undies.

**nodmicks** · 06-25-2008, 07:23 PM

We cut stars out of kleenex and had our 2 boys pee on them. Seemed to work a ok!

**ilovechocolate** · 06-25-2008, 08:37 PM

He needs to see what his daddy does. It worked for us.

**quiltingmommy** · 06-26-2008, 10:33 AM

I agree with the other posters, have your hubby bring him in the bathroom with him. I also tried the cheerios and that worked okay. I like the 'stars out of toilet paper' idea! Remember; just because they're potty trained, doesn't mean your son will always aim well! I make my dh and ds clean the outside of the toilet since they're the ones that make the mess, not me! It seems to have helped ds aim better!

**IntlMom** · 06-26-2008, 10:45 AM

Yep, my boys learned from watching daddy!! My older one was nearly 3, but my younger, SN son was 5.....they are sure all different. My dd is 2 1/2 and showing NO signs of being ready......that's ok, they all do eventually stop wearing diapers!!

**McD** · 06-26-2008, 10:55 AM

Thanks for posting this! Wesley and I are trying the three day potty-training method over the 4th of July.

Zac refuses to show him how to potty though.

**warramra** · 06-26-2008, 11:17 AM

Thanks everyone! DH doesn't mind showing him, he just isn't here much during the day. Last night he came home from work and I gave him his marching orders, the next thing I heard was ds' loud hilarious tummy laugh. He thought it was so funny. DH even "explained" to him about putting the toilet seat down since the next one to use it was going to be a 'girl' (poor guys - outnumbered 4-to-2). DS practiced putting the toilet seat up and down for the next 20 minutes.

I had absolutely no plan to potty train ds yet, but since he will not go in his diaper anymore...

**karone** · 06-27-2008, 11:54 AM

lol, with dh showing him to put the seat down. merrick is 3 1/2 and has only sat on the seat a few times and actually did something. so if jason doesnt have to go anywhere 2morrow then he will start showing merrick how to go whenever he is home. im frusterated that i dont know what else to do.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-27-2008, 11:59 AM

You could try what others have said: let DH show him how to do it in the toilet.

You can also take him into the bathroom and explain it to him step by step in terms that he can understand. Kids learn better through visual aids so the DH thing might work better.

**janelane** · 06-27-2008, 02:43 PM

I nannied for a few years, and I also have a little brother. Every boy that I've been involved with the potty training, they've first learned sitting down. Get the urge down first without worrying about the aim.

I know you said he won't go sitting down, so I will ask, Does he have his own potty chair? They make potty chairs with a little sort of hump in the front for the hoohoodilly to go under. (my lord I'm immature, lol.) Having one of his own, his own size, may be a help. Also I think 2-3 mins at a time may not be enough time for him to concentrate on his muscles to make himself go. I've always had them take enough trying time to finish at least one little book about pottying. It sometimes helps to turn water on in the sink as well, just a little trickle.

A reward system is good, too. I can't remember what show it was, i think maybe jon & kate, but they put little stickers on their potty seat when training after a successful potty. So he'll be able to see his accomplishment, "My goodness, look how many times you've used the potty like a Big Boy! Look how close you are to being Just Like Daddy!" kind of thing. Make a big deal out of how awesome he is for going when he does go.

When the time comes to stand and use a real toilet, the cheerios technique is pretty good. If you're worried about him eating them, tell him they're special potty Os and only the toilet eats them. Also, as for the potential mess, like lessons on putting the seat down, include the step of wiping the rim (it'll become second nature and his future wife will love you for it, lol.) I've noticed that if they know they have to clean it up if they make a mess, they learn to better get it in the toity.

**lisettelovebug** · 06-28-2008, 02:00 AM

Yep, I agree with everyone, have your dh show him. I did when my son was that age and it helped. Also putting him in regular underwear helped. The pullups are such a crutch and feel too much like diapers.

We just got a potty for dd who will be 2 in august and got her pullups with dora... She peed in it once but she just wants to play with it. I didn't really get her going on it much after that because my mom was coming down that week to watch the kids all day and i didn't want her having to deal with that too. I think I will start either tomorrow or Sunday. It's hard because I have to make sure that we're going to be home must, if not all of the day.I would love to do the 3 day method but we have carpet in our rooms except the bathroom and kitchen and there's no way to keep in those all day!! lol

**froggy** · 06-28-2008, 05:34 AM

When I was potty training my little fella's they would stand on a small stool and aim at ping pong balls bobbing up in down in the toilet bowl. There would be shrieks and giggles every time they hit the target. The only thing is DH thought it was a wee bit on the fun side as well.

**Gotonenerveleft** · 06-28-2008, 12:40 PM

The cheerios method worked for us. We told him to try to sink'em and he had a blast. We had tried at 18 months and that didn't work, the doctor said wait till he's 2 and that's what we did. Used the cheerios and it was accomplished in about a day or two. Seems like yesterday but it was 21 years ago!