When To Start Potty Training Boys: What Age Do You Start?
Ready to start potty training your little guy? This is a big step in his development, and some say that potty training boys is more difficult than girls. However, this isn’t necessarily true!
Every child is unique with their own “quirks”, but the American Academy of Pediatrics states that most kids begin to show readiness signs between 18-24 months of age.
What Age Do You Start?
Medical reviewers say the average age that most kids start toilet training is 27 months, but every child is different. Signs of readiness can include:
- Ability to pull pants on and off
- Being able to walk to and sit on the potty
- Staying dry for long periods of time (for example, 2 hours)
- Ability to follow basic instructions
- Ability to communicate that he needs to use the potty
- Wearing underwear and using the potty seems interesting to him
How long will it take for my child to be fully-trained?
The time it takes for them to be completely potty trained depends on readiness and personality. Somewhere between your child’s third and fourth birthday is when you can expect them to be fully toilet trained.
Oftentimes, the sooner you start working with your child, the sooner you will see results. Deciding on a method and routine that works for you both will also determine the effectiveness.
In the end, you won’t really know the true answer until you try!
Tips for getting started:
- Encourage your child and offer praise as much as possible
- Avoid having your child sit on the potty for more than 5 minutes. Sometimes when their diaper is put back on, this can cause a bowel movement as it feels “normal.”
- Allow your child to play with and be interested in the potty (when it’s clean!) to create a positive connection with using it
- Use words like ‘pee’ or ‘poop’ to describe what they are doing so they learn what to tell you
- Make going to the potty part of your child’s everyday routine
Work on Standing
Initially, having boys sit while urinating helps to avoid accidents. Oftentimes boys learn to stand from watching others, but many young boys continue to urinate while sitting. Ultimately, there is no specific age when this needs to happen.
To make the process easier, teach your boy to stand close to the toilet while holding the “far end” of the penis down towards the bowl. Uncircumcised boys may have a harder time directing the stream, so make sure to be patient.
Have Supplies Ready
Supplies for potty training boys might include a potty chair with a splash guard that will keep your walls clean, as well as some other must-have items to keep on deck, including:
- Loose, comfy clothes that can easily be taken on and off
- Training diapers that help absorb accidents
- Fun books like Everyone Poops
- Hand soap featuring your child’s favorite characters to encourage bathroom hygiene
- Toilet targets to practice aim
Set a Start Date and Begin!
Once you’ve picked a day to begin potty training, go for it! It’s best to start on a weekend or during a stretch of time when you can be around to monitor how things are going. Make it fun for your child by watching toilet-focused episodes of their favorite shows, or get a calendar going with stickers and fun images to track their progress.
Most importantly, let them learn at their own pace and always keep it positive.
