Potty Training Boys: Sitting Vs. Standing

Updated on July 08, 2017
N.Z. asks from Los Angeles, CA
15 answers

My son is 2 years and 6 months. For the past few weeks, he's been asking to be put on the potty (the actual toilet, we don't use plastic potties). When he does, we let him sit. Most of the time he just sits there. However, he has gone pee twice and poo once, which made me wonder whether I should have him sit or stand once he is able to tell whether he needs to go pee vs. poo. I'm thinking that if I train him pee sitting down first, it'll create additional work for me to have to retrain him to pee standing up.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

What is a penis guard and where can I find one?

Featured Answers

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

Just teach him to sit for now. He will want to be like a big kid later and will start standing up. And this is for the best because when he is a bit older he will have better aim. Believe me...it's MUCH less messy. You don't have to worry about re-training him. I have not known anyone who found it additional work later. He will be older and will just start doing it on his own to be like his Dad. Personally, I wish all men and boys would just sit to pee. I hate how so many men/boys splatter.

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.6.

answers from New York on

I personally did the sitting thing. If I recall, around 4 - 5, they started standing on their own (copying dad). Plus, if he sees you and sister sitting, it will make more sense for him to follow suit. My husband was gone alot for work so didn't do much in the potty training department so I did what made the most sense to me :)

Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

Sitting is best, because they can relax their muscles to allow for elimination. I have potty trained plenty of boys, and they all sat at first and then, when they had more control of their function, all of them adapted to standing with no problem whatsoever.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.G.

answers from Fort Myers on

My son is 5. He learned to pee sitting down. There is nothing wrong with that. Its more work changing diapers. My son for the most part still sits to pee. To help him with standing, I threw some cheerios in the toilet and told him to aim for those. Its not a big deal. Get your husband to help with the standing and peeing thing.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.A.

answers from Columbus on

We had him learn sitting down for everything. It was too difficult for him to understand when to sit and when to stand. By the time he was 4 he learned to,go standing up by imitating dad, and by the time he was 5 he mastered peeing without pulling his pants all the way down

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.N.

answers from Chicago on

I let the kids decide. They all hated the "potty" and refused to use it. We had one of those smaller seats to put on the toilet for potty training. Both of my sons started sitting and then stood on their own. I wish my 5 yr old would sit because half the time his aim is not very good.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Train sitting and keep it that way for a while. He probably won't be tall enough to stand for a couple of years - he won't make it over the edge of the toilet bowl.

By the time he's tall enough to make the switch to standing, he'll be able to get the concept easily. You won't be retraining (except for the near-constant retraining of boys to remember to AIM).

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Seattle on

Husband and sons sit to pee, after I put them in charge of cleaning the toilets and bathroom floor. They think it's gross when friends come over and "miss". If they're out in public or anywhere else, they stand.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Wausau on

Boys and men sometimes stand because they can, not because they must. This isn't the "right" way, it is just another way.

If he is comfortable sitting to pee, then don't mess up what it already working. There is no retraining to factor in, they know how to stand and pee without help. Learning to aim takes practice, but they can handle that without your supervision.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.G.

answers from Chicago on

My son sat until he was 5 and a friend told him he could stand. Another friend of mine with 4 boys told me to make them sit until they are 8! I spent a year cleaning up messes with my son not hitting directly. Have him sit until he asks to stand.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.♣.

answers from Springfield on

You will not have to retrain him. What he's learning right now is how to listen to his body and recognize the signs of needing to use the toilet. Once he's got that down, showing him that he can pee standing up is going to be a piece of cake!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Have him sit backwards on the toilet. This way he can go to standing quit easily when he's tall enough and is old enough to point and aim and not make a mess.

To help him aim you can take toilet tissue squares and draw ships/boats/fish/etc...on them and have him sink the ship or pee on the fish. Some people do Cheerios too.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

Both of my boys started out peeing sitting down, once they had that down and were doing well we starting introducing standing up to pee by first having them pee in the woods while hiking and the like, and then transferring that to the bathroom.

1 mom found this helpful

V.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

Not really. I taught my son to sit first. Then when he was better able to manage all his clothes and things, we moved to standing up. First he just has to master understanding the urges and getting there on time. After that it's no big deal. Except that you WILL want to give him a step stool to stand on when peeing. Otherwise, dropped seat lids happen. Trust me. It isn't pretty, it IS painful, and serious damage can actually result (not common, but possible). My son dropped the lid on himself before we discovered this unhappy possibility. The next summer we were at a pool party with friends, and another dad was called away in a panic b/c his son did the exact same thing.

No reason to rush the standing up... you'll be with him in public bathrooms 95% of the time in the women's room anywhere, where they're is no urinal, and the toilets are too tall for standing. (5% of the time it might be his dad taking him I presume.) Worry about standing later.

1 mom found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Huh? So what if he pees sitting down, at least he's not doing it in his pants! WHY is this a "problem?"
If you're worried about peer pressure that will take care of itself, trust me.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions