When you’re dealing with boys and potty training, you need to accept that you’re actually going to have to go through the process twice. This isn’t because boys don’t catch on quickly or are less interested than girls. It’s more that even though many of the same experiences and methods apply to both, boys have two separate functions to learn. To toilet train a boy, you’ll need to teach him to sit down for bowel movements, and then he’ll have to learn to stand up for urination.
General potty training advice seems to be that it’s wisest to start the boy sitting down for both functions. This has nothing to do with his being a “sissy” or learning to “pee like a girl,” and should never be thought of that way. Remember that the entire process of learning to use the toilet is already a big thing for boys, and potty training only becomes more complicated if they have to learn too much at once. Learning to sit for bowel movements and then stand up and aim for urination may simply be too many new tasks to absorb at the same time.
People often suggest that even though a potty on the floor is convenient for a boy who sits for both functions, it may actually be smarter instead to use potty training seats with a hole reducer on the actual toilet. This would get the child used to using the larger fixture, which he’s going to have to do anyway once he finally starts standing up. But there are also products particular to boys and potty training that provide a urinal on a stand, if you’d rather work your way up to the toilet more slowly.
Whatever you choose, it’s clear that boys and potty training will involve a few more steps than training for girls. Girls are unlikely to face quite so many logistical issues; sitting versus standing, toilet versus potty, and so on. Another thing to consider if your child is in day care is whether they potty train a child the same way you do. If your boy gets mixed messages or methods, then he may have a difficult time. All these considerations are things you need to work out, preferably in advance, so your child’s potty training adventure can proceed as smoothly and successfully as possible.
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