Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 14:00     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Anonymous wrote:We did sitting down. Over a year and a half later and he still mostly sits. He is a bit shorter so its just easier.


and less of a mess. DS pees standing up when we are not at home, but at home, he still pees sitting. I'm sure eventually he will stand at home, too, but while they're young, I would have them pee sitting down unless you don't mind cleaning the toilet all the time.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 13:59     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Carry an opaque bottle around with you when you are out and there's no bathroom easily accessible. In this way, boys are so much easier. I still carry one in the car for very long car trips just for emergencies, and my DS is 9.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 13:55     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
We did sitting down. Over a year and a half later and he still mostly sits. He is a bit shorter so its just easier.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 13:52     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
As others said, seated first. I never used a standalone potty - that's just gross. I got the Baby Bjorn potty seat insert, which is better designed than others, and a little bit larger.

I also started putting my son in the potty before he turned two, just before bath time. I was very lucky and he pooped in it one day, and the he pretty much was able to poop in it each night. So he was poop trained before pee trained. But it's kind of a crapshoot.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 13:43     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
We are in the process right now and my DH will also pee sitting down to help the process. We have a little potty next to the big potty and they will sit and "pee" together. Kinda a cute TMI experience.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 13:08     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
DS trained easily on his 3rd bday. When I read OP, my first piece of advice was to train him sitting down. Clearly a popular sentiment. We started with the small potty on the floor and moved quickly to a potty seat. Just a month or so ago, after ~9 months of being potty trained, he said, "look what I know how to do!" and peed standing up. He's been doing that ever since. It's super cute but definitely messier.

the pulling pants down past the knees is important when he's sitting too - DS came home several times in backup clothes not because of accidents but because he didn't pull his pants down far enough or didn't sit back on the potty enough.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 12:55     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Anonymous wrote:FTM here. I haven't potty trained my own, but I am a preschool teacher and have supported the potty training of many. I am BEGGING you to please, please, please teach your boys to pee sitting down. Seriously, you would not believe the disgusting amount of pee on the walls and floor of the bathroom in my classroom which could be prevented so easily. You can teach standing up after potty training is mastered.

If you must have your boy standing up, make sure he know to pull his pants past his knees. I can't tell you how many times I've seen an arc of urine not make it into the toilet because that penis was pointing straight up. Also make sure he has a hand on his penis when peeing.

But seriously, just have hims it. Way easier for public restrooms anyways.


This poster nailed it. Don't be in a hurry for him to pee while standing. And once he does start standing, you're going to need wipes handy to clean the pee off the toilet and floor daily.
dancingsunflowers06
Post 07/20/2015 12:12     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Hi! Yes, we trained him to sit down first, then standing when mastered. Also, I tried to start when he was about 2 and he wasn't ready. We waited 6 months and it was much quicker. My son was much later than my daughter. He'll get it!

mommato2lilmonkeys
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 07:54     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Anonymous wrote:Never used a toddler urinal and taught both boys sitting down at first. Did poop training first relatively young (before 2) and a lot of bottomless time at home when starting pee-training.


+1 Did this with both of my boys even though everyone was screaming about "signs of readiness". Getting the poop issues out of the way first was great - I actually still had both in diapers when they would tell me they needed to poop and we'd go to the toilet/potty. Both were poop trained well before two-years-old. Pee training followed easily at around 2.5.

My nephew had horrible poop-fear that kept him out of preK because he refused to poop in anything but a diaper at four-years-old. My sister didn't start training until he was 3 and 2 months. My poor nephew would sob when anyone tried to put him on the potty for poop and would withhold for days. Horrible.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 07:13     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Don't enter potty training with thoughts that it is harder to train a boy just because others say so. If you time it right, it can be easy. Our boy was way easier. Probably a personality thing. Started girl at 2 years, 9 months and it took a month. Started boy at exactly 2 years and 6 months and it took 5 days. He is by nature an easier kid. He also had been dry for 4-hour spans before we tried.

We taught him to sit down (got one of those kids seats with a "cup" in front). Once he was tall enough (about 38"), we taught him to stand and point. Pointing took about a week but he got it. No problems.

At 6, DD still has occasional accidents. DS at 4 never. Wouldn't have guessed this based on everything we read/hear.

Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 07:04     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Anonymous wrote:I trained mine to pee sitting down. Once he mastered potty training (mastered. Not kind of got it) we introduced to concept of sometimes there were situations where he could pee standing up.


I did this too. I also waited until they really showed signs of readiness and didn't stress out over pushing it at a younger age.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 06:49     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Never used a toddler urinal and taught both boys sitting down at first. Did poop training first relatively young (before 2) and a lot of bottomless time at home when starting pee-training.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 06:06     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
I trained mine to pee sitting down. Once he mastered potty training (mastered. Not kind of got it) we introduced to concept of sometimes there were situations where he could pee standing up.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2015 03:36     Subject: Re:Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
FTM here. I haven't potty trained my own, but I am a preschool teacher and have supported the potty training of many. I am BEGGING you to please, please, please teach your boys to pee sitting down. Seriously, you would not believe the disgusting amount of pee on the walls and floor of the bathroom in my classroom which could be prevented so easily. You can teach standing up after potty training is mastered.

If you must have your boy standing up, make sure he know to pull his pants past his knees. I can't tell you how many times I've seen an arc of urine not make it into the toilet because that penis was pointing straight up. Also make sure he has a hand on his penis when peeing.

But seriously, just have hims it. Way easier for public restrooms anyways.
Anonymous
Post 07/19/2015 22:57     Subject: Potty training a boy, any tips from experienced parents?
Any use of those toddler urinals? Seems potty is fine I think. Did you do anything different for your boys or your girls? Anything that worked or backfired for you?

Thanks in advance!