Potty training my little boy - 3yrs 3 months old

[Mumstar14]

DS is 3yrs 3 months old. He is quite stubborn by nature and argues a lot. We bought him a potty and he has been playing with it for a few weeks now. DH has lately become quite grumpy about this toilet training thing. He keeps moaning about DS still being in nappies. (my MIL and SIL have been quite nasty in the past. They are patronising in nature too. I have a feeling they are pricking DH about toilet training. SIL has a DD who is the same age as DS and they toilet trained her last year). Our DD trained in 1 day at 3.5yrs old. No accidents. I am fairly chilled about it, I keep talking to DS about it. He is starting nursery next week, I think he will ask to use the potty once he sees other children doing it. DH and I decided to give it a good try this bank holiday weekend. (warm weather will help!). DH is with DS in the bathroom upstairs and he is kicking up a MIGHTY fuss.

How to start toilet training boys? Do they start aiming straight away or do they sit-wee (like girls do) initially? Hold my hand through this please, DS is hard work, he IS going to make this VERY difficult for us to win.

[Mumstar14]

This is not going well. DS stubbornly held on for hours and pee’d into diapers the moment we put it on. He also did a lot of messing about tiring out DH to give in. He kept saying he wants to wee, made DH turn the shower on (because apparently water makes him wee) and then decided to play in the shower! this shower drama continued for 2 hours. We come out, dry him and put clothes on him, he decides he needs to wee and goes back into the shower.

I don’t know what’s going to happen, DH is very stressed about this. Shall we just let him run around in the garden with no diaper/knickers.

[Namenic]

Just chill with it. Be prepared for a lot of accidents. Pressure probably doesn’t help.

[marshmallowmoon]

My Ds was exactly the same age when we potty trained him. We picked a day when we didn't have any other plans and I left him naked from the waist down, gave him unlimited fruit juice, put him on the potty every half an hour, and gave him a chocolate button for every wee on the potty. We pretty much nailed it within a day (for wees, poos took a bit longer) .

[amandacarnet]

Sounds like your DS is enjoying the attention from his daddy.
I toilet trained boys first by getting them to sit down to wee. No idea if this is the best way though.

[DramaAlpaca]

At his age I'd forget the potty & go straight to the toilet with a child seat on it. If he wants to stand he might enjoy trying to aim at a target - my boys liked trying to hit a ping pong ball in the toilet bowl.

I also suggest staying home & taking the long weekend to just go for it. And yes, chill. Plenty of praise when he gets it right, and no negativity at all if he doesn't, just be matter of fact. At his age he should get it quickly.

[NannyR]

I've never done the running around half naked thing when potty training children (although I know a lot of parents on here swear by it).
The last child I trained was a boy, 2yrs7m, I put the potty in the corner of the room and explained what it was for, dressed him in "easy" clothes, pants and joggers that are slightly too big so easy to pull up and down, and had a basket of spare clothes handy.
I also explained that he only needed nappies at night now - daytime nappies are no longer an option once you make a decision to go for it.
Getting them to drink plenty is also a good idea, maybe a new novelty cup or sports bottle - if they are weeing more, they've got more chances to use the potty.
Close observation for the first day and you can see a pattern emerging, how long they can go between wees, so you can suggest when they might need to go.
If they have an accident, I keep things extremely low key, don't make a big fuss about it, ask them to go get some clean clothes and change themselves.
I would knock the shower thing on the head straightaway - explain that he's a big boy now, mummy and daddy don't need to use the shower to do a wee.
At three years plus, he might prefer to use the toilet (with or without a child seat) rather than a potty. All the boys I've trained have started doing sit down wees, I leave it up to their dad to teach standing up once they are trained.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

We follow the Oh Crap method. It's definite worth a read although be aware that she recommends training between 20 and 30 months. I think that process is still worth considering though.

I'd definitely ditch the nappies. They've gone and he doesn't need to know that you'll get one out for bedtime.

Don't put pressure on him. Don't ask if he needs a wee. Be consistent: 'I can see you need a wee. The potty/toilet is right there.' Then back off a bit.

He will resist but that's behavioural rather than to do with potty training in particular.

[Harryy]

My son was a lot older (5 years) but has special needs. I went cold turkey and took all nappies out the house (left them at my parents) I started with just pants on explained what needed to be done I started with sitting to wee in the potty he refused to use the toilet as he was scared off it. The first few days he just kept weeing in every pair I put on him and even told me he's going to wee in them all does I have to give him nappies back he is very stubborn. (Thank god for Asda for selling pack off 10 pants) the 3rd day he finally gave up and wee'd on the potty and still had the odd accidents and still do now. He also seams to do a lot better in a bigger size pants or boxers although he refuses to poo on the toilet and will go in his underwear i prefer to use pants for a easy clean up!!

Good luck

[MeakTiger]

My boy is the same age. We’ve tried a few times but he shows no interest in the potty and if we try and explain or get him to sit on it he gets crossed. We are leaving it a few more months.

DD trained in one day at two and a half. She was dry at night the same time, my DS is very very different.