How long does it take to potty train a boy?

Molly - posted on 04/28/2010

My son is 2 and a half. I understand your desire to ask other people about their experience but during my pregnancy and now parenting I realize it is a bad idea! At least for me, anyway. It makes me feel really discouraged. I actually read through some of these comments and had to stop because it made me feel discouraged. My son shows a little interest in sitting on the potty but not using it. I'm not worried about rushing him but when I read that other kids are doing it...and doing it younger...it makes me stressed! My son always tells me when he needs his diaper changed so I know he is getting to there but not ready just yet. Good luck!

Desiree - posted on 04/28/2010

what do i do about my 3 yr old i have tried just about everything bribing,letting him do it when he wants ive even gone as far as giving him fruit snacks every time he did something he is now just refusing to go he will be 4 in august n he really needs to potty train

Kristen - posted on 04/28/2010

It took until my son was 4 yrs old. He knew what to do but was just lazy or wanting attention. What I finally started doing was when he pooped himself, I would clean him up and put in the tub and spray him down with warm water. Wash him up and rinse him off with the shower head. He doesn't like that, so he stopped pooping himself. This is a technique used on sensory child as told of from a friend. He was already at the point of peeing when he needed to. He did get a small sucker for peeing and big one for pooping, but eventually that didn't work either. Good luck!

Karen - posted on 04/28/2010

Hi, my son is 2 & a half and he sits on the potty and does a wee/poo etc but he then tries to put his hand in it!?
he will sit on the toilet too and do a wee/poo but we have a little step for him and a soft toddler seat that fits around the toilet seat. hes too young for standing.
he may not be ready yet, my son still hasn't quite got it so putting it off for a little while longer - especially as im due baby no2 in 2wks!!!
Karen x

Amanda - posted on 04/28/2010

All kids are different. I've got 3 and potty training each was very different than the others. My oldest was completely potty trained at 18 months old. Our middle was potty trained right after turning 3 and our youngest is 2 1/2 and we're still working w/ him. A friend of ours had to make her son clean up his mess when wearing training pants and then when he was 3 - she took away all of his toys and wouldn't give any back until he went consistantly on the potty. It worked for her, but is not something I'm ready to do. I feel that our son is just not 100% ready yet. Each kid will go when they are ready, but parents have to help them out and teach them to be big. Chin up - these times only last for a short time and then you'll be wishing your 12 year old was small again :o)

Meghan - posted on 04/28/2010

The only thing that worked for us was switching to cotton underwear cold turkey. My son started early- right around 18 months. I got him in the routine of going "peepee" on the potty as soon as he woke up. Then wanted to sit on the big potty one morning, and would not go on the little one, so I put him up there and he freaked out. He refused to go , even on the little potty, for a month, and it took another month to get him to sit on it in the morning, but he still wouldn't go. Bribing didn't work, and I was beyond frustrated, especially after how great a beginning he had. He would come and tell me after he peed, so I would say " you have to tell mommy before you go so you can go on the potty". I ran out of pull ups and decided not to buy another pack, but to make a big deal out of it and let him pick out his first pack of underwear. He picked them out and we went home, and as soon as they were out of the dryer he wanted to put one on. It took all of 3 days before he was running into the bathroom to go. It took about 2 1/2 weeks before he stopped having accidents on the way to the bathroom. Getting him to poo on the potty took a little more time and attention- I had to keep a look out for when he would go hide in the corner, then pick him up and put him on the potty. That took about a month before he would tell me he had to go poo and another few weeks before he regularly made it to the potty without an accident. The biggest thing was praising when he went on the potty and getting a reward for not having an accident- we used a sticker book- he got 1 sticker for going on the potty and another one for getting on the potty before he started to go- when there were 10 stickers on the page he got a treat- ice cream from the ice cream man, pick out a toy at the dollar store, etc.

Storm - posted on 04/28/2010

My two oldest sons got it just before their third birthdays. They both would go pee on the potty but they were afraid to sit down and have a BM. Once they did for the first time, they were completely potty trained. After my experience with my boys I would say, just keep trying and reinforcing. They will get it. It is much tougher with boys. And it is ok to let him sit to pee at first. He will get the standing up thing eventually. I may be repeating, I didn't read the other posts. Hope this is helpful

Jennifer - posted on 04/28/2010

He has to be ready. If he isn't ready you can't force it. My oldest son was 3 and a half before I got him trained and we used all sorts of tricks. I don't try to make him stand, I just let him sit on the toilet and do his business. He can stand when he gets older. Patience and constancy are key. If you put him in underwear and then put him in a pull up when he has an accident, he won't use the potty. I have my older son (who will be 4 in June) totally trained for about 6 months now. My younger son won't be 3 until November and isn't showing any real interest yet, so I'm not pushing the issue.

Karen - posted on 04/27/2010

Try not to push him into it, it will set him back and make him NOT want to use it at all. My guy is the same age and isn't trained yet. He will use a small potty in the morning and before bath at night but during the day he won't use it. He still poops in the Pull Ups too.

Andraya - posted on 04/27/2010

I had this problem with my son...He really wanted the Cars movie. I bought it and sat it on the back of the toliet and told him when he pooped we would watch it...It sat there for 5wks, everyday when he sat there and looked at it he would bug to watch it. Finally he did it and we stopped everything to watch it, we watched it everytime after that when he pooped, of course they forget about the movie after awhile and then just do it.

Kristin - posted on 04/27/2010

Our son started doing that same thing at 11 months old.. so we bribed him with M&Ms for a little while, and then only for poopoos and then not at all.... of course there was about a week of pain in there where he ran around in just a pair of briefs and we didn't leave the house, it seems like all I did was to watch him like a hawk, but eventually he got the action/reward thing down. Then it didn't take all that long... and we let him sit on the potty seat to potty too until he wanted to stand up, like daddy. But, every child is different, so it is very hard to judge one situation by the dynamics of another.

Shena - posted on 04/27/2010

I have 3 boys and with boys it is harder. I have always started my boys by sitting down on the toilet and I let them pick out there potty chair, My 2yr old has been potty trained for about 3months and you basically just have to stick to it, I sat in the bathroom and read books to him sang songs and I also gave him stickers as a reward when he did go and when he didnt I told him you tried good job and he loved it, I also took him to the store and let him pick out his onw underwear, that is there favorite thing to do,

Charlene - posted on 04/27/2010

my boy is 2years and 6months and he is out of nappies conpletly we started at 1 and a half by putting him on every hour and if he used the toilet i gave him a star and then got him a treat after so many and after a couple of weeks he was doing it with out me taking him so i started taking him 2 group with no nappies on and took him as soon as we got there and at snack and when we left 2 go home and still done the rewardd sytem and then i started nite time when he was 2 with nothing on and done the reward chart and then got trouses on and i started my boy about 2 months ago up town now and he is 2 years and 6months and he is doing well he is now out of them completly

Launa - posted on 04/27/2010

We went right from diapers to underwear with our son, but he still treated his "big boy underwear" like diapers. He would pee in them and stand there with a puddle of pee under him and tell me that his underwear had a hole in them. What worked for him was just letting him go naked from the waist down, he went to the toilet most of the time for the first few days (a couple accidents) but after that training went really fast.

Sarah - posted on 04/27/2010

I also have my son sit backwards on the toilet. This way he can support himself and not make a mess. Just before he turned 2, I decided that it was me who had to prepare. I found that the pull-ups acted just like a diaper therefore he went in those just the same. I bit the bullet and put the typical thin big boy undies on him. After a few accidents in regular undies he opted for the toilet. He didn't like being wet or have anything running down him.
Night time went the same way...I definitely had to change numerous sheets (sometimes more than once a night), but after about 3 months he again didn't like waking up wet and started running to the bathroom.
As an added bonus, my husband taught him how to pee in the yard. God bless him, for trying..:)

Rachael - posted on 04/27/2010

M&M's worked well for us. My son was fully trained, day and night, by 27 months. We used "m-ies" as a reward every time he went. I also let him run around in undies whenever we were home so he could make the connection between the feeling and going. He also doesn't like for his clothes to ever be wet, so that helped. Sounds like you may just need to wait for him to decide. Good luck!

Shannon - posted on 04/27/2010

I have 3 boys. 11, 5 and 2 1/2. I learned the hard way with my oldest that you cant stress yourself out trying to get them to use the potty. It seemed like when he turned 3, he just started using the potty. It wasnt a fight anymore. The same with my 5 year old. With the youngest, i am just waiting it out. It will happen when he is ready, even though you are ready now.

Kristian - posted on 04/27/2010

My son turns three in june and he is fully potty trained. Some of the things that worked with us are cherios in the toilet for him to aim at.... And blue food coloring so he can make it turn green when he goes... And we have a sucker jar and every time he goes he gerts a sucker. Also the pullup that have a cold sensation when they pee helps them realize that the feeling means they need to go potty...

Brandi - posted on 04/27/2010

My son will poop on the potty, but the peeing thing is okay. He knows when he has to go but won't take the time. Still hoping he will be by the time he is 3 only 1 .5 months left. My daughter was potty trained at 18 months. But I didn't take her out in panties until she was 2. Good luck everybody!

Taia - posted on 04/27/2010

My youngest son just went through that phase, so I would have him wear regular underwear during the day when I was around and about every half an hour or so had him sit on the potty for a few minutes. I think they also have theses little floating targets for boys who are potty training so you can make it a game...plus you amuse your husband too!

Amy - posted on 04/27/2010

Hi Kia,
I am no expert but I would say don't force it. He is still young and a couple of false starts is to be expected.

I do remember getting really stressed out about it (a couple of moments where I got cross and made my son cry which I am NOT proud of) and we rreally didn't progress while I was reacting like that. It seemed to have the opposite effect as my son became more fretful when he did go to the toilet because I think he was just waiting for me to add stress into the equation.

I gave up getting upset, gave him a break and then when we tried again made it more fun. So when he had an accident I'd say, 'Don't worry, accidents happen!' with a big (sometimes forced) smile on my face. When he did get it right (even if that was just to say he needed to go and did sit but did nothing) I'd reward him.

Lots of clapping and a couple weeks worth of treats and we made it!

The best advice I ever had was to be aware that all children do potty train eventually ;-)

Amy

Candice - posted on 04/27/2010

I understand your frustration. We're going through the same problem. I bought the once upon a potty video and my son will sit on the potty and watch the entire show. I ask try to put my son on the potty every 20 mins or I'll have him walk around w/o pants and he will go then on his own. He loves the potty video. Now if we can just get him to poop on the potty.

Kia - posted on 04/27/2010

My son just turned 2 and before when i had started to put him on the potty he would go. He would even say peepee when he had to to go to let me know. So now hes gotten out of the habit of going and says peepee while hes going in his diaper or undies. Its just so frustrating because he really doesnt want to go and because hes so stubborn. I dont know what to do besides keep makin him get on the potty and wearing undies so he can get used to them. HELP!

Brittany - posted on 04/27/2010

My son was same the way..not interested, and would get upset when trying to sit on a toilet. The only thing that i can suggest is to get a small training potty..I picked up a frog potty at Wal-Mart.. My son loved the fact that it was a frog and soon was excited to use it because it was his special potty. Also allowing them to wear training underwear (despite accidents) helps to be aware that peeing in your pants is not fun..and now at 3 he is finally potty trained!

Amy - posted on 04/27/2010

I have twin boys who are about to turn 4 and one of them 'got it' quickly and the other took much longer. The biggest lesson I learnt was that making it anxious makes things worse. We had some great advice which worked a treat which was:
1) Make it a game. All children potty train eventually, some just take longer. Games are meant to be fun and kids learn better when the environment isn't stressed.
2) Rewards are a great incentive but they must be consistent. Perhaps keep a tub of jelly babies or something just outside the bathroom and offer maybe 1 for wees and 2 for poos? The consistency thing is key here otherwise it loses its appeal.
3) Accept that accidents will happen. Pull up nappies are great for training and they are disposable. When an accident happens try not to show that you're stressed. Have a short, concise explanation handy and use it everytime and accident occurs.
4) If your child has lost interest, don't force it. Revert back to nappies for a week or so and then try again.

We went through this process once with my one son (he got it iat 3) and 4 times with the other ( got it at about 31/2) and now they are both completely potty trained and even take themselves to the toilet!

By far the most important thing was how I was reacting. When I was stressed they were and then it took longer.

Good luck and hang in there, the end *is* in sight!

Amy

Arian - posted on 04/26/2010

Boys I believe go when they are ready, or once inspired...... At 2 1/2 my son would go only IF I told him too, never by himself, but once he'd spent the weekend with a friend, who had a 3 and 4 year old herself, after watching them potty by themselves, he decided he as ready to go...... That monday, he came home and said, "Mommy I have to potty!" He went in there and went on the toilet all byhimself, and has been doing it ever sense.... maybe he needs some inspiration from some other toddlers like my son!

Louise - posted on 04/26/2010

ever boy is different my sons 15 months he was totlet traned buy 13 months and out of day and night nappies at 14 months you just have to perserver with them there learning and have no idear what do to once they get it then its easy i got my son a musical potty that sings wen they have gone and he loved it it worked for me

Pamela - posted on 04/26/2010

Hi! my joshua has been potty trained since he was 18 mos old. I guess it helped that he has an elder sister who he sees no longer wears nappy during day time. Although, both josh (now 2 years and 6 months old) and sam (5 years and 2 months old) still wear a nappy at night. i hate waking them up in the middle of the night just to pee, and i also hate to wake up also :)

Catherine - posted on 04/26/2010

Thats a sticky question....my first son by two was totally potty trained by two...now my last son...now for has been fully PT now for about 3 weeks.....we just quit buying pullups...bought a huge pad of stickers and colorfulpaper to put the stickers on each time he goes poopy.... and told him no more diapers.. hed say....it wont come out on the potty...but we didnt cave in this time.....plus we bought some "special juice" for him...gerbers apple and prune juice.... got them really cold and gave him 2 of the small juice bottles in a cup b4 bed...then next mornin he woke up and whammoooo...I GOTTA HIDE!!! I said go on the potty...and he has been goin ever since.... its really just when i think they are ready

Marlene - posted on 04/26/2010

I have two boys and they were both almost three before potty trained, then they'd still pee in random places(like trees and bushes) Itwas soooo hard to get him to go. i had to constantly remind him. it takes alot of patience, so just know its a boy thing.

Kylie - posted on 04/26/2010

i have 2 boys now 15yo and 13yo and 2 girls 12yo and 2yo and boys are easier by far... my both boys were out of nappies by 18-20 mths...
make it a game and put a ping pong ball with a red dot as a target and they think its a game but learn at the same time... good luck

Emily - posted on 04/26/2010

I'm a single mom of a 2 and a half yr. old boy and I don't have anyone to help me with mine. He will sit on a child's potty for about 2-5 seconds and then get up saying "wash hands" and that's all he wants to do. Other times he'd rather take it apart and play with the parts. Does anyone know how I can get him to understand that the comfort ring isn't a hat?

Michelle - posted on 04/26/2010

i trained my son at 2yrs 4mths. completly trained during day and at nite after 2wks. i was told boys take longer but each child is different. my neice was 4 before she felt comfortable using a potty. i put him straight into pants and got rid of nappies. he felt when he was wet and soiled and encouraged him to use potty.

Nakita - posted on 04/26/2010

I have the same problem, my son will be 3 in July, he refuses to go. What can I do, I guess i just have to wait it out.

Sally - posted on 04/26/2010

thanks everyone for all the suggestion..Cejay does go potty before bath time and I thought to maybe now that summer is here and he will be outside off and on let him run around with no pants ( we live in the country closest neighbor mile away) that way he can easily get his underwear down, I am using the training underware. I figered it will just take time. We do lots of praise when he does go. I think constinence is also the key. On weeekend I probably need to remind more I tend to just put a pull up on and not remember as much as we are on the move with lots to do. Thanks Again for all the ideas.

Verona - posted on 04/26/2010

The same with my 3 year old, he went on the potty for a while but stoped. One day he poo in hes diper went to the potty, take of hes diper and throw it in the potty and called me to show he went. But what he did'nt knew is that I was watching him and saw what he did. I dont know what to do any more, my family is constand on my case about it. And other's say he will go on hes own time...

Emma - posted on 04/25/2010

Hi Sally! I have a 20 month old son! When he has a bath or shower, i get him undressed and he sits on the potty while i run the bath or get the temp right in the shower! If he does wee or poo, we clap and say "YAY!" (even him!) lol! Or sometimes he gets his potty on his own and i let him sit on it and we practice counting fingers and toes, or point out 'ears', 'nose', 'mouth', etc. Try and make it fun! He will get there and so will your son! Good luck :)

Georgia - posted on 04/25/2010

My son was 2 and day trained in 3 days, accident free in 2 weeks. We stopped nappies, used a Weeman so he could wee standing at the toilet like daddy and a 2 in 1 toilet seat (it has a child's and adult's seat attached). I had a chart and stickers, with prizes after every 5 trips.

He'll get there eventually. All kids are different and some are more resistant. If you just put him in undies (nappies only for sleeps), that would probably get him to using the toilet more. Be prepared for accidents!

There are some great tips on www.pottytraining.com.au. I used this site and the mum who runs it is lovely and very helpful too.

Good luck!

Faith - posted on 04/25/2010

we are at the beginning of potty training our boy. We are not teaching him to stand. we are letting him sit on the potty to pee and poop. he can choose to sit or stand when he gets older. its just easier to sit as he is only 16 months. don't push him if he isn't ready. they can go backwards for a while, but eventually they will do what they do in the potty. best of luck

Gloria - posted on 04/25/2010

my son was a little over 2.5 when we started - he got the pee peeing on the potty down after about 2 months (only random accidents after that) and it took until he was about 3.25 when he finally decided he wanted to poo poo on the potty. but after that day, no accidents since! it took a while, but it was worth it. the little guy has to do it in his own time. also be aware that usually the kids will get one much before they get another and boys take longer to train than girls.

Nicole - posted on 04/24/2010

My daughter was so easy, she was trained during the day within a week of her 2nd birthday, pee and poop, and at night by 2-1/2 years. I would give her treats if she went. Also tried just putting underwear on her, and once she peed in them a couple of times, she was done! She hated the feeling. Tried that with my son, and he would just pee himself and keep on playing, he didn't care. Tried bribing him, and he doesn't care. I can't just make him sit on the potty like someone suggested, he will scream. Sometimes he gets angry/upset for just asking. So now I am just not pushing him. I don't want to take things away from him, because I don't think punishing him for not going is a good idea, I believe in positive reinforcement for good behavior. I know he will do it eventually, but it is frustrating. I am currently out of work, and we have had to cut back on a lot of things, so paying for pull-ups every week is an expense I don't want anymore. Plus, I know kids pretty much are all trained by the time they start kindergarten, but I was hoping to start him in preschool this fall, and I can't if he is still in diapers.

Jessica - posted on 04/24/2010

My son was almost 4 when we finally got him fully potty trained during the day. Don't have him fully potty trained at night. I had to start taking away things he enjoyed just to get him to want to go. I took away his cartoon time for 15 minutes every time he peed his pants b/c my son was just lazy and didn't want to take the time to go potty. He still does have his accidents once in a blue moon when he gets too busy playing especially when he's outside and I take away his outside time for 5 minutes when he does

Jennifer - posted on 04/24/2010

My son will be 4 in July. He has been pee trained for since about 2 and a half. I STILL can't get him to poo on the potty though. I have tried EVERYTHING I can think of. All people keep telling me is boys are difficult to potty train.

Shannen - posted on 04/24/2010

My son is 21 months and he wants to use the toilet. After evry wee he comes up and tells me he wants to be changed So i guess thats a good indication for me. I should get into a habit with him but i find it hard. My daughter was fully toilet trained by 2 and now at 3 and a half she is out of her night time nappies to. Patience is what it takes!

Kerri - posted on 04/23/2010

I have 4 boys, ages 1, 2, 3 & 4. The easiest way is to wait until they're ready. When they are ready to potty train, it will only take a couple of days. We let our boys run completely naked for a couple of weeks - no accidents and they "get it" really quickly. I've had two learn @ 2-1/2 yrs and one @ 3 yrs. Be patient, it will come. How many kindergartners do you know that wear diapers?

Lauren - posted on 04/23/2010

My son is 21 months old, will be 2 in July, and hes potty trained during the day, not quite there on night time yet. However, daycare did alot of the work for me during the day while i worked. he came home one day and sat on his potty and pee'ed in the potty. i was like wow, now he sits backwards on the toliet for better aim, and i seem to think that works better. If waken up in the middle of the night, try sitting him on the toliet and see if that will work. first thing in the morning. But if hes not ready, back off and he will soon let you know when hes ready to use his potty. Good luck to you!!

Kimberly - posted on 04/23/2010

You have to take him in there and sit him on the toilet and stay with him until he is done. He will soon get the hang of it but it is a little intimidating to them at first. Just be patient.

Anna - posted on 04/23/2010

i found it very easy to potty train my son, he was potty trained 1 week after his second birthday, i bought him a fun potty as thought it wake potty time more fun for him, the mammas and pappas duck worked a treat, i never tried to potty train him , i showed him his potty and told him if he felt like he needed a wee then he could sit on it, within a week he was potty trained day and night, i am in th process of tryin to potty train my daughter and it has been ten times harder, i find you cant make a child potty train until they are ready and they will soon let you know when they are, i find explaining everything to them step by step helps

Jeanna - posted on 04/23/2010

My son is now 2years and 7months and fully potty trained!! I started once but he wasn't ready for it yet so i went to diapers for about a month and then tried again. He did better the second time. It took only a month and a half to potty train him. I still put pull-ups on him durring nap time and bed. Some will say it is harder to train boys but chase was easy to train on alot of things.

Michelle - posted on 04/23/2010

my son took 6 months from the time he wanted to go potty till he was fully day/night trained. (he was just about 3). My son was also very late at walking and talking so he made up for it will fast potty training I think. We worked on it with diapers for a few months before hand. If he is scared to stand and pee have him sit backwards on the toilet so he can practice him aim and not fall in.