How to potty train a boy?

Question

My son is 2 1/2 yrs old and im having a really hard time potty training him. I baught him the new Pull Up's Cool Alert's, and they dont seem to work on him cause he never lets me know when he has to go potty. I've also tried leaving him with boxer briefs to see if he lets me know if he has to use the bathroom but he never does. My parents suggested me to give him a small spanking and tell him that he needs to use the potty but that doesnt see to work either; all he does is repeat what i say but he doesnt do it so there's no point to it. Anyone have any ideas or tips on how to potty train a 2 yr old?

Im a single mother so i need tips on how to train him myself. Im desperate!!! Diapers are so expensive and i have another baby on the way...Please HELP!!!!

Answer 1

put fruit loops in the toilet to give him something colorfull and inticing to aim at

Answer 2

More than likly he's just not ready yet. If your worried about the cost of diapers I would suggest getting some cloth diapers. Even if you can't buy a ton of them they will still help spread out how long you can go between buying diapers. Not to mention they feel more like real underwear. I also let my son run around bottomless when we're at home. After a little while he realised he should run to the potty, and not go on the floor. I NEVER spank for accidents. They are just that, and kids at that age are not going on the floor on purpose. Yes, you'll have to clean up some pee along the way, but oh well. That's being a parent.

Answer 3

No NO spanking is a big no no in potty training! Those cool alerts suck!! I tried them!! My son was almost three and still in pull ups so I was freaking out because to go to preschool he had to be potty trained. I bought underware that he picked out. He had to wear them morning till night-NO PULL UPS. At first they satnd there and pee and it is frustrating but all you do is rush them to the potty make them sit there and tell them everytime this is where you go pee. With my son I set the timer every hour and if he did not go I would set it for 30 min and keep setting it less and less . Thats only when he had been dry and had no accidents. The first 2 weeks were horrible and I was frustrated but I never yelled, spanked or did anything neg. Once he started going I used apotty chart where he got to put a sticker on every time he goes and when its full he gets to go pick out a present like $5 and under type thing. THis worked wonders. Well good luck! Its a process.

Answer 4

I don't think spanking will help. It might make him even more afraid of the potty.

With my son, giving him stickers when he uses the potty seems to encourage him a lot. Also, don't try to make him stand up yet if he is having problems. You can teach him that later.

Pull-ups are also not an encouragement for my son. He doesn't care that they are wet.

Having him try to go before bed and when he wakes up helps my son know what going potty is like. Also, peer pressure at daycare helps my son. He knows from them that big boys don't wear diapers (or pull-ups) and they go on the potty. He really wants to be a big boy, so that encourages him.

Answer 5

I dont have any kids yet of my own (i am pregnant with my first), but I read an article that made alot of sense to me and I plan to try this with my own child. If you are home with him or someone is looking after him they have to be consistant. Toilet him after breakfast, after naps, after he drinks or eats. Before you start this, observe him for a few days and see what his eliminaion routine is. Try this for a few weeks and make sure you praise him or even reward him when he goes on the potty. Be patient. Some kids do take longer than others to get it. good luck!!
The woman who wrote this article was from India and they do not put diapers on their babys. If they have an accident they just clean it up. I am not suggesting you follow this part of it though. But through observing and being consistant she had her little boy potty trained by 9 months old and her child could tell her when he had to go by 13 months. So, if you try this with your next baby at like 7 months or so, maybe you can save earlier on diapers. I plan to try it. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

I have 2 of my own boys, one girl, and potty trained about 30 kids when I taught 2's at a daycare.

Boys are stubborn and do it when they are darn ready. Keep pull ups, favorite character underwear and diapers handy. Let your son choose what he wants to wear. Don't fuss over the diapers, but offer praise when he chooses underwear or decides to go on the potty. My oldest looked right at me one day and said, "I want spiderman underwear." He was 3 1/2, I'd been trying to potty train in for a year and a half and nothing worked, got him the spiderman underwear and ta-dah. Trained ever since! They are all different...I know diapers are expensive, especially 2 of them at the same time...but they do it when they do it. Good luck.

Answer 7

Obviously he isn't ready for the potty. Save yourself the frustration and forget it. Especially now that you're pregnant again, because even if he did get potty trained he would more than likely revert as soon as the new baby arrived in order to get the attention the baby was getting. Yeah diapers are expensive. That's life when you have kids...if you think diapers are expensive just wait until you have to pay college tuition for two...

Answer 8

Life is a series of memories and milestones. Learning to "make doody" is one of the most significant milestones of a two-year old boy' s life. How do we, as new parents, help bring about this memorable event? Answer: Get informed! Being aware of specific needs will make all the difference in potty training a little boy.

Perhaps the most important key to potty training a little boy is to know when to start. Children generally show signs of readiness around age two. Signs of readiness will include an ability to stay dry for prolonged periods of time, a dislike of dirty diapers, and a vocalized desire to use the toilet. When potty training a little boy, keep in mind that boys usually take longer to potty train than girls. Be very patient. After all, they have to learn twice (sitting and standing)!

First of all, never pressure your son to begin potty training. It is a natural process and will most definitely occur on its own! The feeling of a messy diaper and the desire to be a big boy will inevitably do the job given the proper time. When potty training a little boy, be careful to encourage them when they show signs of readiness.

Secondly, being a big boy is often incentive enough to use the potty chair; however, it can' t hurt to make the bathroom a fun environment. I am not implying that you must substitute your shower curtain for one with an enormous purple dinosaur on it. Purchasing an inexpensive yet colorful potty chair is enough and can do wonders for a small child; particularly if it has the face of their favorite cartoon character on it.

Finally, when potty training a little boy, positive reinforcement can work wonders! A small piece of candy (or whatever treat your son likes) given directly after successfully using his potty chair will provide motivation you wouldn' t believe! Verbal encouragement is helpful and necessary but its effectiveness increases exponentially when candy is added to the mix!

Every time he goes, make it a big deal. Tell them how big they are and that you are proud of them. This is a good opportunity to subconsciously reinforce the idea that they are important to you. Potty training occurs during a very important time in your son' s development. Use it as an opportunity to build up his sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Plant the seeds of self-esteem every chance you get!

Answer 9

When our son was a toddler many years ago, we had much the same problem, until Daddy took over. They would go potty together whenever his daddy was home. he had a little stool and his dad would take him in the bathroom and they would both stand in front of the bowl, son on the stool,and daddy would go pee, they would be going to pee all weekend , every morning before dad left for work and in the evenings. It took less than two weeks before our toddler was trained. He loved going like his dad.
Hope this helps, good luck and I know you're enjoying your little boy, They grow up too fast.

Answer 10

Don't spank!!!!! It may be too soon, you may need to back off for a couple of months. Try sitting with him and having funny conversations while he is on the potty--don't be in a hurry. Also, with one of my sons, I bought a little treasure chest and put it on the back of the toilet. Each time he used the potty, I let him pick a little toy out of the chest. One of my other boys used to pretend he was a fireman putting out a fire. Don't threaten or punish, he needs to be relaxed.

Answer 11

Your parents are correct. Spank him when he does it and ask him often if he needs to go to the bathroom. I have two boys myself and I know it may seem hash, but when you are home and he uses it on himself leave it on him for a while. Make it one of he last things you do is change him. Also, when you do take him to the potty make him sit there for a while. I thought that it was mean to leave my child in his mess, but his daycare teacher did it and it worked he saw all the other kids playing and having fun and after they all went to the restroom she changed him last. He hasn't used the restroom on himself since and he is now 5