Looks like you are all ready and set to implement the toilet training tips for your young champion and get him to use the toilet all by himself. Teaching your son to use the potty may take much more time than you anticipate. It requires his cooperation and your patience to make it a success.
You may have heard a lot of moms saying that potty-training boys could be tougher than girls. This could vary from one child to another and need not be specifically true. While kids exhibit different strengths and talents, it all depends on how well you make the toilet training interesting for them.
Having said that, let us see how best we could help you in your boy’s potty-training.
5 Signs Your Baby Boy Is Ready For Toilet Training
The first step in potty-training your baby boy is to identify his cues for readiness. If your child isn’t ready then the entire process would take a setback. The key to potty-training is readiness, physical ability, and most importantly his interest in it.
Although kids start showing interest from the age of 18 months, this may prolong to 3 years too. But hold on! You need to have a lot of patience to tackle it. As boys are more active than girls, they might take that extra time to use the pot.
As soon as you are determined to potty-train your baby boy, make sure to establish a routine. Remember, timing is important for potty-training. Starting too early will fail and starting too late will make it tougher!
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Here are a few signs of readiness that your baby boy might show towards toilet training.
1. Asking questions
Kids learn by imitation. Your baby boy might notice the way his daddy uses the toilet differs from his mom using it. When you see him questioning it, make use of the opportunity to explain to him and teach him on the importance of potty-training.
Be precise on what you want him to know and make it interesting so you create an urge for him to use it.
2. Fidgeting with wet diapers
Toddlers don’t like wet diapers. We usually keep checking and change them on time. However, on a miss, if you see your baby boy trying to pull it off, then it’s time for you to implement our toilet training tips for boys.
Though this might not always be the case, any discomfort could also be a reason for them to pull diapers off. If the issue is of diaper rash, then treat it properly. Identify the cause aptly and kick start the training process.
3. Staying dry for a longer period
Seeing your kid without a wet diaper for a longer stretch — say for one or two hours is a sign they might be taken to the toilet. However, kids take time to stay dry during the night.
Even if you have implemented the daytime potty-training, weaning off diapers during the night will take more time.
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4. Willing to use the potty
Willingness to use the potty is the ideal sign for you to start potty-training your baby boy. If your baby boy is resistant, the entire process would sink. Just like other skills, using the potty right is also a skill that your boy might need help with initially.
You can make the potty chair attractive for your baby boy with stickers and paints so he might develop an interest in it.
5. Cognitive skills– readiness of potty-training
Cognitive skills are important for your toddler boy to pick up your training instructions. Your boy should be able to understand your instructions and must be able to communicate from their side as well to start with potty-training tips.
Simple and straight instructions must be understood for a better grasp. You can use any code word like pee-pee or wee-wee for urine passing.
10 Toilet Training Tips For Your Baby Boys
Parents need to be supportive and help their children reach milestones at each time. Potty-training stubborn boys require a lot of time and patience. Your child must get used to this idea of the potty.
Different strategies work for different people. Hence you need to choose what works best for you. It is important not to push them hard before they are ready and if you are pushing them hard, you are already committing one of the top most common parenting mistakes.
Potty-training is a tedious job. So don’t give up with a few trials and a few failures. Just be happy for initiating the process.
Try out our 10 toilet training tips for your baby boy that could make your work easier.
1. Don’t rush your baby boy for potty-training
You will keep comparisons and comments when there is slow progress in getting potty-trained. Never mind! Sometimes baby boys do not meet timelines and achieve milestones on time. But you will be surprised on the day they do. All you need to do is wait until then.
To make the process easy for both, start potty-training your baby boy only when he is ready. Remember, pushing him hard is only going to take you back to square one.
2. Move from sitting to standing
Using toilet training tips for boys has much work to be done as compared to girls. Your baby boy needs to know when to stand and when to sit. You should also teach him how and when to use either.
Experts suggest you start teaching your baby boy both activities by sitting and then take him to the next step. All he needs to know is how it works without a diaper.
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3. Choose the right toilet training tips
There are many methods through which you can start your toilet training for your baby boy. It could be like doing it within 3 days or using the no cry method. There is no right or wrong method while training your child.
You can choose what works best for you and your son. If one technique doesn’t work, choose the other. Use references like potty-training books or rhymes which teach them potty-training.
4. Set a start date and begin
So, once you have decided on beginning the potty-training activity for your child, mark the date and keep things ready ahead. Don’t make it a surprise for your child as he may throw tantrums on doing something new.
You can start his potty-training activity during the weekend which will give you more time. Teach your child to point his penis down and urinate into the potty to avoid spraying.
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5. Switch to undies
Once you note a difference and growth in your toddler boy’s potty activity you can slowly implement him to use the undies. Reduce the diaper spending and use it to get his undies.
Take him shopping and let him choose his design and character. Stock up a lot of undies initially. Also, don’t throw away all those diapers as you may need them to use for the night!
6. Let nights be last
You could be surprised by the fact that there are two phases of potty-training — day and night. While day training would be done quickly for most of the kids, night training takes much more time. Most kids must be with dry diapers and without wetting the bed by the age of 5 to 7 years.
You can encourage your child to use the bathroom before going to bed and limit his water intake. Always keep in mind that nighttime training is a different activity for which your child will get into the groove.
7. Acknowledge and praise him
It’s important to keep acknowledging and praising your toddler boy at every stage of the potty. Even when your son wets the diaper, keep encouraging him to do it better. Remember, encouragement is the key to take him to the next step.
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8. Setbacks happen — be prepared
Potty-training need not be successful on the first attempt. That doesn’t mean you have to give up. Just keep trying and be prepared for any setbacks. But remember to handle them with coolness.
Remember, the more you compel, the more they will resist. Few children are afraid of heights and the flushing mechanism. So, give him his own time to start his potty days.
9. Be positive about potty-training
Potty-training stubborn boys could be tough as they don’t react to enthusiastic or pleasing comments on the potty. Try to give them an idea of the potty by making them know how you and the others use the toilet to pee and poop.
Potty-training is a skill and it could be challenging to learn a new skill. You need to support them and teach them instead of shaming and getting frustrated over them.
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10. Let your child take the lead
Potty-training a stubborn boy requires a lot of patience and brain as they never wanted to be overruled. While potty-training a stubborn boy, make sure to pretend to take the lead from him. Keep giving him all information about potty-training and get to know his consent and interest to start the process.
Remember, going rigidly with stubborn kids will not work. Instead, offer praises and rewards to see if it works.
Conclusion
Potty-training could be a nightmare for you. But it is where your kid’s confidence level grows up, for he is going to do something independently. Though the initial days could be tough, consider it as a bonding experience between you and your child rather than creating a battle.
It’s ok when things don’t go as planned. Take time to relax and take a pause for a while. You can take help from others or experts when you feel you are failing in this. Potty-training is a milestone like any other activity and you need to give it the required time.