Potty Training a Boy - Saint Marys, GA

Sounds too young. I know pediatricians and some parents say otherwise, but at that age they don't really understand and can't hold it yet. They also could really care less if they pee themselves. I have 4 kids. They all went through that phase where they took off their diapers and peed everywhere, and I would ask them if they wanted to use the potty. But I didn't push it at all. I just put the diaper back on and said how yucky it was to pee on the floor. I tried potty training my first son at 18 months and it backfired. He got more and more angry at me wanting him to go. I finally got a clue and stopped trying. When he was 2 I tried again and he was potty trained within a couple months without hassle. I waited until my other kids were 2 as well. My 2nd son was around 3 and so was my daughter when they were completely done. My last son potty trained in one week, no kidding!! Yes, it's a hassle dealing with diapers, but rushing it doesn't help at all and just adds to the stress. Taking off the diaper is only one sign. They should show that they actually care that they are peeing, and where. They should also be able to tell that they have to go, even if they don't make it, knowing they had to go is a big thing.
If you've tried it and he doesn't really seem ready, wait. Some kids do things early. My oldest son walked at 11 months, but the others ranged 13-25 months. Some kids potty train at 18 months, but it's not the norm.

18 months is still pretty young (many preschools require that kids are potty trained by age 3, not 2)

Sounds like he just likes to take off his clothes. DO NOT push him to try to sit on the potty if he doesn't want to or you will make potty training a living nightmare for both of you. You need to just erase the idea of potty training for now and just work on the behavior of getting him to keep his clothes on. Think of it as any other behavior you would want to correct-- like you wouldn't let him "get away" with throwing toys or pinching his baby sister, so don't let him "get away" with taking his clothes off and peeing all over the place. Use whatever discipline method you are comfortable with that will work for his age and personality type-- distraction, time out, etc

Hi K.!
I thought the same when my son who was 15 months at the time and he just happened to pee in the toilet when I set him on it. I thought he was ready. He was the 3rd born and his 2 sisters before him were trained before their second birthday, one at 21 months and the other a week before she turned 2. Well, it turns out that he didn't "potty train" until he was 3 years and 2 months. I was very frustrated for a while. I didn't think he would ever get out of his diaper. But he did and does great. The same thing happened with my 4th child another boy who peed in the potty for me at 17 months and several times in a row for a few days, and then all of a sudden he stopped and said he didn't want to anymore and now he's 2 years old this month and still nothing. Boys are different to train than girls and my experience it takes a little longer with them. Don't get discouraged and if he doesn't want to don't push him. He will when he's ready. If you continue to have the problem with him taking his diaper off, keep pants on him with a belt that will prevent him from taking them off. Good luck to you and hope it goes well!
Take care!
V.

Average age for Potty Training a boy is 30 months and girl is 29 months. You are expecting way too much, too early. The stage you are in now is called "planting the seed". Just because your son can pee on the potty sometimes, and throws his diaper off doesn't mean he's "ready" for big boy pants. Toddlers love to be naked- typical behavior is taking off clothes. There are so many developmental milestones your son must go through to be 'officially" potty trained. Now, your job comes in as the instructor. You have to teach your child the language and signs to notice when he has to go. A Simply phrase like 'pee, pee' time. Your child must have words to tell you he has to go. Say that everytime he is on the potty or you are taking him to the potty. A child must be dry through his nap and be able to control the 'urge' to go, to quickly run to the potty. This is a physical developmental thing, like walking. Some did it it at 10 months, others are 15 months. If your child can't hold it in, he's physically not able for underpants. It's repetition and seeing other little boys peeing in the potty. It's educating your child through potty books, dolls, videos and roll playing. Pointing out to your child every time he gruts, saying, "you are trying to poop. Please do a google search on "preparing your child for potty training". You'll do fine. Remember, the two areas you NEVER get mad at a child with is soiling his pants and not eating.

I potty trained both of my boys by letting them pee outside. One just loved being able to pee all over the yard and the other loved to pee on flowers/bugs/whatever. I have a very private yard so I didn't have to worry about neighbors watching. Just make sure to teach him that your yard is the ONLY yard he can do this in. My kids have embarrassed me once or twice.

My girlfriend put a cheerio in the toilet and had her boys practice sinking the cheerio. That also helps with aim.

Another girlfriend of mine put some dish soap in the toilet so her son could "make bubbles".

I got the gerber padded underwear and when he would wet himself it was not comfortable like a diaper. I tried to be very creative with him, he was not nearly as easy to train as my previous daughters. One thing I know all the guys liked growing up was to read in the bathroom. I bought my son books that he was only aloud to play with while on the potty. That helped a lot, now he stayed on the pot but he never actually used it. I put colored ice that i made with food coloring and trays, into the toilet for hi to shoot. The ice was a great way for him to use the toilet but he would try to get them out of the bowl..yuk. Then one day I realized that he did not like his potty. I had purchased a mini potty for him to use but he preferred to use it as a stool and to read his books of course. If I had him stand in front of the big potty he would use it and all of a sudden he was potty trained from that point on. So, I guess my advice is keep your eyes open, you never know what you are missing. The little things really go a long way.

Hello!

Oh,the difficulties of potty training! With my 2 children, they gained and lost interest in potty training a few times around 18 months. My best advice is to stick with it, be consistent, and they will decide when they are ready to "go solo". My children hade accidents, some were not so accidental, it will eventually stop when they realize it's easier and less messy to go in the toilet.

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Good luck with potty training - everything will work out fine!

Sounds like he isn't ready but wants to take his clothes off (including diaper). My son got interested in the potty (and watching everyone!) before he was 2 but didn't really start to train until he was 30 months for pee and 34 months for poop.

Good luck!

You might try a reward program, like a sticker to put on a poster board every time he uses the potty. And make the potty more fun by placing a cheerio in for him to aim at. If he won't sit still to pee, he may be more comfortable standing. Good luck!

I have been reading the responses from the other moms. They seem to believe he just isnt ready( that hes too young). I disagree. My son started showing an interest in the potty around 18 months and we began potty training (he's now 20 months). It's going OK, but it is hard work.. some days I just dont have the patience. Just hang in there, go with the flow. your son will let you know what he is comfortable with and what he is ready for. I read a good book on the subject (potty training for idiots) it had alot of information and ideas. In your case, your son seems to be back tracking a little and that's ok. all kids are different. Just try to encourage him ... if he goes on the potty , GREAT.... If not there's always tomorrow!!! : )

I have trained 4 boys so far. The one thing I did dif. from you is that my boys stand. Getting a small stool and letting him stand to pee may help. Then he can be "just like daddy". Have him watch your husband as much as possible.
You can put Cherrios in the water and have him "shoot "them etc. Once you KNOW he can control it it then becomes an obedience issue NOT a potty training one.
My son also had huge issues when my second son was born. But it wasn't because he wasn't trained it was to get attention away from the baby. Make sure you are giving him his fair share of attention (if not this is your first step). Once that is taken care of you must decide what the consequence will be if he fails to go in the potty. Make allowances for an occasional accident. the key here is knowing your son. Was it truly an accident or is he defying you ?
Trust me "this too shall pass". :>) God bless and congrats on your new precious bundle!

After reading the other responses I needed to add that ALL my boys were trained by 2. He is not too young!:>)

I'm not sure how successful this will be for an 18-month-old, but it's worth a shot.

As other mothers have said, let him stand. Buy him a step stool. Then throw some different colored fruit loops in the potty and tell him to hit the colors. Not only are you potty training, but you are teaching colors :)

Good luck.

Hi K.,

We just started Potty training our son (he is 14 1/2 months) with the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. We took a class at Boca Raton Community Hospital but I think you can just get the kit and do it on your own. Plus, he does not have to already know sign language to learn it. What I like about it: it keeps it fun and stress free for the parents and the baby, works well at young ages or any age if they are older. Go to www.babysigns.com to check it out. By the way, they recommend training boys sitting down first.
Hope this helps!
Good luck and keep it fun or he will just rebel. Also, it helps to train from 12 months on. Once they are 2 years old they are at the point developmentally where they experience shame - especially about bodily functions so it makes it more challenging. The system comes with a DVD that we watched once and the next day he had to poop, gave me te sign for potty and went running for his new toilet. He still had his diaper on while he sat on the toilet but he already figured out that the toilet is where he goes Potty. I am not expecting him to potty train overnight but I expect it will happen at his own pace and without any stress.

P.S. By the way, before disposable diapers were available in sizes up to 5 years old (!) almost all kids were potty trained by 18 months so they are definitely able to do it.

K.

Dear K.
I got my daughter 19 months old, but she is not prepare for patty train yet. I read a lot about potty train, and they said that is better not to push them until 2 years old. So, I will training her at the two years. He doing fine, just tried to dress up with short that be difficult for him to take off in a meantime.
Good luck!!

Tghe reward system usually works. Place a chart on the wall by the potty and have stickers available that he gets for each potty use. The toy at the end of a full chart (about 20-30 spaces to fill) is his choice. My oldest picked it out first, then we got busy .
I talked about the firetruck he wanted and how close he was getting. We made a big deal going to the store to buy it.
Also, have your husband make a big deal out of his going to the bathroom, so your son sees that men pee in the toilet. He's going to want to emulate his dad, too.

Have you tried praising him when he does do well on the potty? Maybe a little goodie (snack or dollar store toy) for when he does well (especially number 2). Or maybe he's not old enough to start? Is he able to tell you when he has to go because that might be a problem, too. Best of luck!

Are you sure he's ready and not just learning about clothes going on and off? I'd get him some toys that have snaps and buttons and zips to play with, and don't push on the potty issue. Lots of people say that boys train later than girls. My own son trained around 26 months. You've got plenty of time, so don't worry about this.

*PS*

When you do begin the potty training process (I'd suggest not for another 6 months or so..), consider teaching him poop first. I did it that way with my kids and I never had the issues that I hear about so often (withholding and refusal to do #2). It is actually much easier to train #2 first, imho. Usually you can SEE when they need to go (they grimace, squat and/or may hide), and you have more time to get them there before it is too late, so there is earlier success. Confidence and pride in their accomplishment flows naturally from those early successes.

Hi K.- First off, they all regress and take two steps forward, one back when they potty train. Other things can contribute, but my guess is it has little to do with your 5 month old. You mentioned "sitting there". Why are you sitting him, why not standing as boys do. Even if its a bit messy at first, its better to train him to pee standing from the beginning I think.Try targets in the potty for him to hit. (Nothing edible like M&Ms) He may not be quite ready, even though he was doing well a few months ago. Make sure he has pants on over his diaper, so he cant take it off unless assisted. Take him to the potty every half hour and stand him in front for a minute. If he doesnt go, leave and return 10 minutes later until he finally goes. Praise him to the heavens when it happens. Keep doing that for about 3-6 months and he'll have the hang of it.