Potty Training a Boy

Thanks for your question.

Being a daycare provider for fifteen years, you can imagine I've potty trained by share of little boys!

My technique for potty training a boy is to have him sit on the toilet backwards. I have him sit down because they are usually too short to reach up over the seat and if you have them stand on a step stool, their balance is off. Have him face the water tank. This way, his aim into the toilet will naturally be better and he is using the same position he will eventually use when he can stand.

I use 5-ply underwear while training at home and use pull-ups for when we have to leave the house and may not be close to a bathroom. By using cloth underwear, your son will feel discomfort when he wets his pants and it will encourage him to potty train faster.

Set a kitchen timer for every 30 - 45 minutes. When the beeper sounds, make it a game to race to the bathroom (let the boys win) and see who can use the toilet. Keep them giggling. Keep it positive. Let them stay in charge. The secret to potty training any child is to give them as much control as you can. As soon as they feel like they're losing control, the training will come to a halt.

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