Parents are sometimes surprised to find, when it comes to potty training their toddler, that potty training boys is different from potty training girls. Some people feel that training boys to use the potty is more difficult than it is for girls. But in reality, potty training a boy can be simple when using the following guidelines.
Potty Training for Boys Begins With Sitting Down
Most experts recommend beginning potty training by sitting down to urinate. Even though it's certainly possible to train a boy to use the potty while standing, sitting down simplifies things. That way, there is no complication or confusion – both bowel movements and urination are done while sitting down. Once the toddler is able to use the potty with no accidents, potty training while standing can be done.
Prepare the Toilet
One important aspect of preparing to potty train is the type of toilet used. There are potty chairs that sit low on the ground for easy training, and there are also toilet potty seats that go on top of the regular toilet. If a potty seat is used, the toddler will probably need assistance from a parent or a step stool in order to use it.
If Possible, Get Dad Involved in Potty Training
Having a male role model can help speed things along with potty training boys. Many little boys take longer than girls to potty train because Mom is often the primary potty trainer. If Dad isn't available to serve as a role model during potty training, consider asking an older brother, an uncle, or trusted family friend to help out with the duties. This helps with training, especially when teaching a boy to pee while standing up. When training, the male role model can show the toddler exactly what to do.
Other Important Potty Training Tips
Waiting until a child has sufficient verbal skills will allow a child to communicate his or her potty needs, so it’s important not to rush potty training before the toddler is ready. Each child develops differently, and there’s no need to compare a child to others or expect one child to potty train as quickly as another.
Patience and persistence are probably the most important attributes during this time. Almost every child has accidents while potty training, but reacting with anger or berating a child because of an accident may lead to further accidents and psychological fears. Be patient, and focus on the successes when they come. Persistence is also necessary because some children take a while to get the hang of potty training.
Potty training boys is a different process from potty training girls, but overall, the methods are similar and boys shouldn’t be much harder to train than girls. Once proper equipment is set up and a good male role model can help, it can be fairly simple to toilet train a boy.
Holli Jo Ronquillo - Holli Jo Ronquillo is a freelance writer and editor who has been writing professionally for several years. Her work has appeared in The ...
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