Information

How To Potty / Toilet Train Toddler Boys

Well I am very pleased with both myself and my youngest son. E is 2.5 and has been nappy free for about a month now. Wahoooo. This is a very exciting time. I now save at least $30 a month or more, just from not having to buy nappies. More than that I don’t have to change them, or carry them to the bin. Ok a small part of me misses my baby, but it is a small part. I’m really looking forward to the future with my little guys.

I am aware that the general idea for potty / toilet training is to wait until the boy is about 3. I can’t imagine having to continue with nappies for another 6 months YUCK. So here is my simple toilet training technique. I know it’s worked because my 2 sons were both very well potty / toilet trained by the time they were 3.

1. The time to start is about when your toddler is waking up dry. We all like to go once we’ve woken up and your child is no exception. So as soon as you hear him stir in the morning, quickly check his nappy. Start doing this on and off from about 2 years. When you notice that he is dry for a few mornings in a row, you are good to start potty training.

2. Have you got a good potty? I recommend one that has a removable seat you can place on top of a toilet. This makes transitioning to the toilet easier as it’s still “his” seat.

3. Now getting yourself into a routine to take you child to the potty is very important. In general he won’t start telling you that he needs to go for a week or 2, so you need to tell him he needs to go. Start with the first thing in the morning. My kids and I still wake up and all say together wee time and off we’d go. As silly as it sounds kids love doing stuff together even if it’s just waiting turns for the toilet or potty to do the morning wee.

4. Now here’s where I think most parents go wrong. Don’t put a nappy on! Yes that’s right leave nappies off when you are at home for the first 2 weeks. I actually leave all underwear off when we are just at home playing, whist in the first toilet training stage. Because the boys can then run off to the toilet / potty without having to come and find you or ask for help. This speeds up the process very quickly in my opinion and greatly reduces the amount of accidents. Best and Less sell trainer pants, use those or even just normal undies if this doesn’t suit or your child is now telling you that he needs a wee.

5. Tell your child that they are a big boy now and we do our wees and poos in the potty. For some reason it seems doing a wee in the potty sinks in quicker than the number 2’s. Almost all kids will initially reject the idea of 2’s in the toilet and go somewhere to hide to do it in their pants. Now this is just my experience but even a 2 year old knows that poos do not go on the floor and without pants on I find they just run for the potty.

6. Reward the right behavior: This is so important, my reward of choice was a Natural Confectionary lolly, but whatever works. Do the song and dance with plenty of high fives!

7. You may want to keep nappies on when you are going out for a while, that’s fine as long as the trainers go back on at home. Otherwise you could slip back to easy nappy habits and that’ll just confuse your child.

8. Make sure you take your child to the toilet regularly throughout the day. Before and after meals, about 15 min after a big drink, before going out and the again when you get back home. If you do all of this within a month you will have a little boy who rarely has an accident and is happy to yell at you “I need a wee” as he’s running for the potty, and struggling with his clothes.

So that’s how I’ve done it and with terrific success. I really think a lot of people make too much fuss over toilet training. As for girls well I hear they actually “get it” in general easier than boys but I can’t speak from experience on that, perhaps someone else might like to comment on that. My main advice is, don’t start too early, and make it a fun learning experience and really you can’t go wrong.

Best of luck

Glenys

© 2009 Brizzy Kidz.