Learning how to potty train a boy is a challenge for many parents, but it’s a challenge that can be overcome with enough patience and understanding.
- For some parents, they get lucky and they get a little boy that seems to virtually potty train himself.
- For others, it can be a lot more frustrating when it seems like their little guy will never learn to go to the toilet on his own.
The good news is that even if it seems like it’s never going to happen for you, eventually your little boy will be potty trained and diapers will be a thing of the past.
The following tips on how to potty train a boy should help you while you work to help your little guy to reach this important milestone.
How To Potty Train A Boy in 7 Simple Steps!
1. When Should You Start Potty Training Your Little Boy?
When should I start potty training my son?
That’s the most common question that parents ask when they decide that they’ve had just about enough of changing diapers.
Generally speaking, little boys are ready to potty train somewhere between 18 months on the low end and just past their third birthday on the higher end.
Exactly when it’s time for them to potty train is something that is going to vary from little boy to little boy.
In most cases your little guy will let you know when it’s time, if not a gentle nudge to get them to go to the potty may be in order.
2. Demonstration Is A Great Tool For Teaching Your Little Boy To Go To The Toilet
Toddlers learn from watching the people around them and then imitating the behaviors that they see.
So, this is where Dads come into the picture. Your little boy needs to see how their equipment works, and they need to see how to go pee in the toilet.
I’ll let Elmo and his Dad Demonstrate this one, as it is one of my favorite potty training tips. 🙂
(While we have not yet started potty training our Son Steven, I’ve been having him watch me for the past 2 months –Â “Daddy go Potty!” is what he says to me excitedly when he knows I’m going to go, lol)
Just telling your little boy to do something that he has never done before rarely works. But, if he sees you doing it first, then he is going to be much more comfortable trying to do it himself.
If you want diapers to be a thing of the past, then start taking your little boy to the bathroom with you and teaching him how to use the toilet.
3. A Small Kid’s Toilet Will Make Things Easier On Him
One problem that all kids have when it comes time for potty training is reaching the toilet.
Unless your little boy is exceptionally tall, he’s going to have a hard time standing in front of the toilet to go pee.
You could buy a stool for him to stand on, but then you run the risk of him falling into or onto the toilet, which can be very traumatic for him.
Instead, you are much better off buying a small kid’s toilet for him to use. This will allow him to be more independent so that he can learn to go to the toilet on his own.
(Personally, We picked up the “Disney 3-in-1 Potty System” from Amazon a few months ago, and Steven loves it!)
4. Teach Him About Good Hygiene From A Young Age
Since you are teaching your little boy to go to the toilet you may as well start teaching him about good hygiene at the same time.
Kids don’t understand what germs are and they don’t know that it’s important to wash their hands after they use the bathroom.
It’s up to you to teach your little boy about this and to instill in him from a young age the importance of washing his hands after going to the bathroom.
You’ll need to get him a small stool to stand on so that he will be able to reach the sink. Then show him how it’s done, and with any luck at all, it will be a habit that sticks with him for the rest of his life.
5. Buy Your Little Guy Fun Underwear That He Likes
All little boys have something they love. It could be cars, or a cartoon character, or anything else that is fun and colorful.
If you really want to motivate your little boy to use the potty, then try buying him some underwear that incorporates something he really likes.
You can then tell him that those are his big boy underwear and that it’s much better to wear them than it is to wear diapers.
6. Make Sure That You Ask Him If He Needs To Go To The Potty Frequently
When your little boy first starts potty training he will probably forget to go to the toilet frequently.
This is something that is brand new to him, so even if he means to go to the toilet he may forget to go.
So ask him frequently if he needs to go.
Remind him before you leave the house that he should go. If you keep asking him enough and reminding him frequently enough, eventually he’s going to remember to start going to the toilet on his own.
7. Celebrate His Triumphs But Don’t Punish His Mistakes
It’s important for you to remember that more than just about anything else in the world your little boy wants to make you happy.
VERY Important to keep the following in mind.
Your Son LIVES to please you, though it doesnt always seem that way, so when he does something that you approve of you really do need to make a big deal about it.
This is especially true when it pertains to potty training.
- When he first goes pee in the toilet make sure you make him feel special.
- When he first asks to go without being reminded, celebrate this little milestone too.
Positive reinforcement can make a huge difference when you are potty training your little boy.
While you should go out of your way to praise your little boy when he goes to the toilet, you must also avoid scolding or punishing him when he has accidents.
Accidents are bound to happen, and it’s also not uncommon for a little boy to go and hide to go to the bathroom in their pants because they aren’t comfortable going to the potty yet.
In either case, you may get frustrated, but it’s very important that you don’t allow your frustrations to get the best of you.
Instead, calmly explain to your little boy that what they did wasn’t a good thing and that you want them to do better in the future.
8. Where to Start when he is ready?
I tried to make the above info as helpful as possible, but some people don’t want to hassle with toilets, and cute underwear etc.
For those people, I recommend doing the “3 Day Potty Training” Method, I’ve heard great things about it and they claim to have a 97% success rate.
We’ll be using this with Steven as well, once he’s ready – so check back with me in 2019 and I’ll let you know how that goes! 🙂
