Learning to wee standing up

[Biscuitsandtea]

Hi,

Ds1 (3.9) has been potty trained for a while but has always done his wees sitting down. At the weekend he wanted to try standing up.

This was fine but he struggled to get the wee out standing up - almost as if he couldn't relax / let it go?

The next few times we stuck with it although it would take perhaps 5 minutes to get the wee out, there was some slight improvement.

Now last night, he had a wee (sitting down) not long before bedtime but at bedtime assured me he needed another. So we tried standing up. Now I suspect he wasn't that desperate for a wee but we stood there for 15 minutes with no wee! In the end he sat down and the wee came straight away.

Now this is what I didn't want to happen - him to get the idea that he 'couldn't' wee stood up and would have to sit down to get it out. So this morning, exactly what I feared. He must have needed a wee but nothing when he stood up so he sat down and it came straight away.

I really didn't want him to get this in his head (he gets a bit stuck on an idea like this so it could cause a problem).

So my question is this: firstly any tips for how to get him to relax, and secondly, how can I undo this idea of 'not being able' to do it standing up?

Thanks

Don't overthink it - is it really a problem?! you might possibly make it one by paying it any attention. My 4 year old likes to wee standing up, has done for a while, but my 6 and 9 yos often still wee sitting down.. it's not exactly a developmental milestone, is it?..

however, if you want to make it fun and relaxed, I was given a tip for 'target practice' to float a couple of cheerios in the bowl and aim for them..
of how do you feel about al fresco peeing? I am afraid all my boys are only too eager to pee behind a tree.

Get him to try in the bath

The cheerios are a good idea, or perhaps a 'weeing song' - anything to break the tension and make the situation more lighthearted and relaxed.

Although, tbh, little ones weeing standing up can be a pita. My DS will only wee while standing, and he's just the right height for his testicles to rest on the rim of every public toilet !

That exactly my point - I don't want to make it an issue. It was ds1 who wanted to try it and him that's getting the idea that he can't do it. So it's not me overthinking it - it's him if anyone!

So I'm not bothered in the slightest when / if he wees standing up but I'd he wants to do it I need to find a way to help him iyswim?

Cross posts there with lots.

for the public toilet thing - fortunately ds1 is quite tall so might avoid that