Potty Training My 2 Year Old Son - Stand up or Sit Down??

I started my boys sitting down until they saw daddy. They enjoyed standing to pee. The aim isn't so great (but neither is Daddy's all the time). The clorox and lysol wipes are a life saver. I have a container in each bathroom and wipe the toilets down at least 4-5 times a week. In fact, thanks to Daddy, he thinks he's not capable of peeing sitting. He'll sit down to poop and get up and lift the seat to sit. I found that the hard way when he was pooping once. Not fun! One bit of advice I've discovered, in public restrooms, I have to stand with him and let him stand on me feet so that his peepee doesn't rest on the dirty toilet. In public restrooms, standing is great! Wish I could pee standing up in those situations. My sons also like to pee in the backyard. They like to pee on ant hills too. Free insecticide! :)

What ever he will do -- run with it! My son was potty trained for about a year and a 1/2 before he started standing up. He just didn't have a desire to do it and really baulked at it.

Also -- my son did a lot like your son is doing. We started encouraging him to potty train (bought the little potty & cool Pull-Ups) but didn't force the issue. Every few days I would ask if he wanted to sit on it but didn't force the issue if he didn't. We all talked up the Pull-Ups as well. About 4 months later he told my mom while she was changing his diaper that he wanted to go sit on the potty. He went and, honestly, had only a hand full of accidents after that.

It did take a little bit longer for him to get the feel for pooping in the potty but "they" also say that those muscles tend to develop a tad bit slower in boys anyway. But... Once again when he got it, he got it. No accidents.

Good Luck!!!

D. - good luck potty training your DS. My DS is potty trained completely now and we started sitting down.

Sitting down is best. I trained my son with him sitting backwards on the potty. That way he can lean forward onto the back of the potty to see what is going on, less accidental spraying and he got the idea once he is standing to stand and aim towards the back.

We started potty training our son by sitting down. I told my husband that I will train the basics, but any special training like peeing standing up, writing his name in the snow(just kidding) is all about him! Shortly there after he started peeing standing up "like Daddy"! Have fun! Boys are crazy and fun!

Developmentally your 2 yr old is not ready to fully understand standing up with correct aim...Start him sitting. If he has a potty, let him go with dad a few times(that is if dad is comfortable). The poop training comes a little slow for boys as they don't have that need to not be dirty like little girls. Little girls don't like the feel on their skin but boys seem to tolerate it longer. My son was pooped trained by going to bathroom with dad. Dad would get his magazine and my son would get his book(I thought yucky at the time). This allowed for my son to be relaxed and able to go without tensing up..

Each child is different and will let you know. Please don't force the issue just let it happen and it will.

My son is now 15..

Sitting down may be easier for him because all bathrooms are different in the height of the potty. This way he can do it anywhere by sitting. When he's tall enough, he can start to work on his aim standing up.

My son wanted to be "big" like his sister and was potty trained by 2 1/2, except for nighttime.

I do know of some boys who were taught to sit backwards so they're legs give them more support. It's also necessary for them to hold themselves down so they don't get their pants wet.

Good luck!

we started potty training sitting down, but then one day he came home from preschool and informed me, "I pee pee standing up." I had no problem with that. :) I told my husband, "I don't care if he pees sitting or standing, as long as it's not in his diaper/pull up." Gotta love those community bathrooms at preschool!

I know you're a SAHM, but if your son is at a MDO program or something, I would continue sitting down until he shows interest standing up. They'll learn all that stuff from their peers, so we just kinda go with the flow...

Of course, now he's 3 and thinks he needs to hold it and aim. Ah... the joys of boys!!!

Hi D.,
My son is now 15 so it's been a while since we did the potty training, but we did it sitting down to start and the potty chair had a "shield" for boys so that they didn't have accidents. My son let me know when it was time to stand up.
We also trained with M&M's. When he went he got 1 M&M for each hand. Hey, it worked for us. LOL
Good Luck,
C.

We started sitting down and then Daddy came along and had him standing up and daddy stands up so sitting down didn't last long. The only problem with him standing up has been he doesn't want to go poopoo in the toilet and he gets pee everywhere. Good luck with that, it seems the daddies ruin the sitting down whether intentionally or not.

I turned my 3 boys around on a regular toilet so they wouldn't fall in and it worked great. i don't think that it matters standing up or sitting down. i think that they all have done both. if they are sitting down make sure the "tuck" it down or in to keep everything from getting sprayed. i think i usually started sitting down and when they got that down then they could do it standing up. they also like to pee outside on the trees. they liked to practice with their new found freedom and control. worked like a charm. espcially if they couldn't get into the house fast enough to go. of course, then you have to work on where it is acceptable to pee and not to pee in public. like in the backyard is o.k. but not on the curb at passing cars. at the farm is o.k. but not at the park. but they picked up in it pretty quick.
good luck,
L.

As stated, every child is different. By the time my son was 8 months old he trained himself not to poop in diaper. He DID NOT like the feel of the mess and would use the big toilet. He was completely trained by 3 1/2 with the one odd bed wetting when mommy was at hospital (baby sister). He also learned quickly how to aim in the toilet and not all over the toilet and such because he had to clean it up -- no problems after that and the bathroom was always fresh and not stale pee. Good luck. Just don't push him.