They say that potty training is more difficult with boys than with girls. The reason is that boys often require a two-step process to learn to pee. They’ll start with sitting and learning to position their penis and later transition to standing. But the reality is that every child is different and there will be unique challenges no matter what.
I remember starting my son on his potty training journey at around 20 months. He seemed to be doing well until my divorce started and we moved out. His pediatrician’s comment to me was that it was about control; the change in his home life made him feel less in control, so he would control what he could. I was assured he wouldn’t go to college in a diaper and he didn’t.
But this notion of control is confirmed by RN Sarah Johnson. ”Toddlers often fight toilet training because it gives them a feeling of being in control. Learning to use the bathroom coincides ith the developmental stage during which two and three-year-olds are starting to realize that they are individuals and not merely extensions of their parents,” she told Mom.com.
So with so much that seems to be working against you, how do you make that transition on how to potty train a boy? Here are our best tips on potty training boys.
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Out of the box thinking: Potty training a stubborn boy
Parents need to MacGyver just about everything — meaning nothing ever seems to go as planned, and we just need to roll with the punches. Here are some ways to think outside the box when potty training a stubborn boy.
10. Face him backwards
If your son is having trouble aiming, facing him backwards might give him a bit more stability as he leans forward. Mom Alice Anderson shared this trick she used for potty training her son. “Sitting presented challenges because he wanted to lean his body far forward while trying to aim down, but would fall off or make a mess," she told Mom.com. "We ended up having him sit facing the back of the toilet and it was a game changer!”
11. Look for resistance
Mom of two boys, Alexandra Shunk, told Mom.com that her youngest started off great but then “he went a few days without any bowel movements. We had a feeling he was holding it in.” She monitored things and noticed one evening in the bath that he was shivering, saying he was cold when she knew he wasn’t. She immediately picked him up and put him on the potty. “He immediately went and was so happy afterwards.”
12. Let them guide the journey
Jennifer Madsen is a mom of three with one little boy. She recommended to Mom.com to give him independence in the process. “Once he starts getting the hang of it, let him pick out his very own big boy underwear that he’ll get excited about.”
