I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to go about potty training? My son is 2 and I'm so ready for him to be potty trained! I know you can't rush children, and it won't happen if they aren't ready to be potty trained ... but I'm hoping he'll catch on fast. lol All my friends that have kids - have girls, so they aren't much help to me! Any suggestions would be great...

I don't know anything but I'm responding because I need info too! My darling 21 month old son is getting ready. His new thing, taking his diaper off when he has to go potty and peeing on the floor!!!!!! Ahhhh! So I have to jump right in here. Today I left the room to go and put something away came back not but two minutes later and in my bedroom where he was watching a movie I found his diaper on the ground and him naked in my bed!!! I hurried up and put that diaper back on, didn't want another accident on the floor. =) So let me know what you find out. My mom raised all girls and I don't know anyone with a boy old enough to potty train. Good luck on your quest!
Melissa

Well, I guess maybe there are no secrets/hints for potty training a boy?
I guess we'll just have to take it as it goes and makes stuff up along the way! My son used to take his diaper off - but luckily he got over that fast. Heh A co-worker of mine who has an older boy told me that when she was potty training him she'd just take his diaper off and let him run around naked - cause he wouldn't pee on the floor, so he'd use the toilet. Unfortunately, my son has no problems peeing on the floor!

My son has no problem doing that either. I went to school on Wed and I got a phone call from my sister who babysits him while I'm at school. So not only did my son take off his diaper (which was not just wet but messy) accidentally stepped in the mess and ran to the other side of the house and stood in front of my sister, tapped her leg to get her attention and waited until she looked at him. As soon as she looked at him and asked him what he wanted, he decided to pee right in front of her! (shaking my head and rolling my eyes) Now I just keep shorts on him all day long so he can't take off his diaper. When he learns to get those shorts off though, I'm in for it. So now to work on potty training..... This will be interesting. =)
Melissa

Hello all,

I don't have a boy myself but I live with my brother (2yrs old) and sister (3yrs old) and my parents. I was there when my sister was potty trained and now my brother is getting ready to start. Here are some tips that have worked. First and most important rule..
DONOT let your boy watch an older male go to the bath room (this will make training very hard as little boy will want to mimick older male).. Ok here are some more general hints
1. don't start before child is ready. if u do so it can set you back even further and may cause major problems in the long run
2. use incentives ( sticker charts, money etc.) and lots of praise.
3. have more than one potty in the house (one in each bathroom, one in area that child plays and one in bed room this is to prevent less accidents)
4. be patient and consistant (if you start pull ups stick with pull ups except at night)
5. Child maybe trained completely during the day but has accidents while sleeping this is very normal (bladder control not possible until 4 or 5 years old) if you child can stay dry *nite consecutively for 2 weeks then fully trained.
6. for those boys (and some girls) who do take off their diapers and nothing works to keep them on try a small strip of duct tape to hold the tabs on trust me it works.
7. regression will be normal (any little thing can set them back)
8. make it a fun thing and never shame a child for accidents.

Hope this helped. if you have any questions feel free to email me chicagomom1*aol.com

Shannon

Thanks!!! That helps out! I was beginning to think I was at a dead end. We haven't started yet. He's a little less interested than he has been, so I'm just waiting for the right time. I'll tell you guys all my great stories when I get some. (hopefully there won't be too many!)
Melissa

Well, my little guy doesn't seem to interested in the whole potty thing yet either, so I'm just waiting for the right time. He did manage to get his diaper off, without taking off his shorts - or if he did take them off, he got them back on perfect! lol I was in the other room, he came to me and threw the diaper at me. He likes to flush the big potty - but that's about it. He can let me know when he needs a diaper change, but doesn't like not having a diaper on. I guess I'm just more eager for him to be potty trained then he is! But, it will all come in time!

This whole taking the diaper off thing is driving me nuts!!! My son as also figured out how to take off his diaper even when he is clothed... I guess I'm going to have to resort to ducktape! My son loves to flush the toilet. He's done that for awhile now and every once in awhile ends up doing it when someone is in the shower!!!! ooops Oh well, good luck and keep me posted on how things go.
Melissa

I might be able to help you guys! I will certainly try! I was never a big fan of 'pull ups' until I started using them! My oldest son (who is now almost 7) used 'Big Boy Underwear' (Pull Ups) for just a week, and then he moved on to real Big Boy Underwear! I never called them diapers and I never let him potty in them. We would go to the bathroom every hour (Yes, it is time consuming, but considering the time I saved by not having to clean up yucky messes was well worth it!) and practice pulling down his underwear and getting on the potty. He kept wanting to flush it after he got down. But if the toliet was empty, then I would shake my head and say 'empty' and hold my hands up. We would then wash our hands and continue playing. After a few days, something just clicked and he started using the toliet and was able to potty. I promise, within a week, he was out of Pull Ups and into regular big boy underwear. He had just turned two. I did the same thing for my daughter and she learned jsut as quick. I plan on doing the same thing for my newest baby who is 9 months.

BTW, did you guys know that some parents start potty training their children at 6 months? Seriously, they take them to the potty every hour and hold them on the toliet for a few minutes. According to the article, these babies were completely potty trained by the age of 16 months or so...now, if that is not discouraging, I do not know what is! I thought I was doing good by having mine trained at 2!

Stephanee