There are two parts to motherhood that I have to admit I’m not a big fan of; weaning and potty training! Weaning I suppose is a pretty obvious one given the fun and games I’ve had with Little Bean but when it comes to potty training I shouldn’t really be bothered about it at all since Little Bean mastered it within a week. I left Little Bean until around the time of her third birthday and she was a breeze but with Beanie Boy turning three last weekend I still feel like we aren’t quite ready for potty training him yet.
I have had the odd days here and there where I have attempted it, when he feels like it he will quite happily go about his business on either the potty or the toilet but most of the time he is more than happy to sit in a wet or soiled nappy – GROSS! I get it, I do, he’s lazy and that’s what I hear about boys and potty training but that doesn’t make life any easier for me.
When we went on holiday to Tenby this summer we decided that since we would be spending so much time down on the beach it would be the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. We made a big deal of it with Beanie Boy and took him to the shops to choose his own ‘big boy pants’ and he said that he wanted to use Little Bean’s old My Carry Potty so the stage seemed to be set. We set him up a little reward system whereby if he managed to do his 1’s and 2’s on the potty or toilet then he would be given either a sticker or a ‘potty sweet’ (a mini smartie) and this worked quite well. For one whole day he wore big boy pants and didn’t have any accidents but we realised that was more down to the fact that we were taking him to the toilet every 5 minutes and not because he was asking to go. The following day we tried reminding him but not taking him and as he stood facing me I asked him if he needed to go for a wee but he said no even as he had wee wee trickling down his leg. We decided to take stock and re-think our plan of action.
We haven’t reverted back completely though, after reading How to Potty Train by Judith Hough and Diane Titterton we have now started changing his nappy in the bathroom as this is where grown-ups go to the toilet and we change him standing up instead of laying down so that he can help in the process. This is also a signal that he is stepping away from laying on the floor like a baby. We keep a potty in both the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms which Beanie Boy will use as and when he feels like it but mostly he will go when he first wakes up and when getting ready for his bath at bedtime. If he does use the potty or the toilet then we give him lots of praise but we never force him to do it. I know that he will do it eventually and I really don’t want to force the issue with him.
I have been sent the How to Potty Train book to review and I’m really impressed with it, it has been designed to read through with your child indicating that Potty Training is a journey to be undertaken together. It is broken down into five chapters – Preparing, Signs of Readiness, Going for it, Keeping Going and Night Time. It has reward charts and stickers to help the process and cute characters to make it fun. From reading through the book we are definitely heading in the right direction and it has made the process less daunting so watch this space.
What tips would you give for potty training a boy? Have you found it harder to potty train a boy over a girl?
DISCLAIMER: I have been sent the book How to Potty Train free of charge for the purpose of this post. All words and opinions are my own and may not be used without my permission.
No prior experience but interesting to hear this. I’m hoping N will want to do it himself at Xmas just before he’s 3 in January. He quite likes the idea of pants, but until last night seemed to have no idea when he was going to wee. (and like Beanie Boy is happy to sit in a soiled nappy most of the time).
We put him on the toilet before bathtime (back in May he’d wee on the potty no problem and no pressure at the same time, but the last few months had refused to sit on either. Now the OH is telling him what to do and he seems to do what told then), but nothing happened. Then the last 3 days he’s wee’d on it which is great. But still asks for his nappy on afterwards. He does like having his nappy put on standing up – I’d not realised that this could help with the ‘little boy’ rather than baby feelings.
But last night I couldn’t believe it. We’re both full of cold, so he’d ended up in bed with me. Next thing I know I’m woken by him saying no nappy on…sit bolt upright wondering how I’d noticed him get into bed without a nappy/pjs bottoms on. Turned out he’d taken them off and wanted a wee. On the toilet and wee’d, asked for new nappy and went back to bed. I was gobsmacked given during the day he’s not worried/not noticing having a drooping full wet nappy!
So, really hoping this is the way forward. I’m also hoping that nursery will really help things (and suffer the majority of any accidents given he’s there full time!), but still not sure he’s really that in control. Bizarre that he managed it from asleep though.
Hope your progress goes well.
There are some really good pointers in the book, it certainly sounds like N is heading in the right direction. Keep up the good work 🙂 x
I hate potty training with a passion! I’ve just managed it with my 3.5 year old and he was quite lazy about it – nappies are just too comfy. We found pull ups were great in helping him feel a little more grown up but it took about 4 very long months to really master it. Hope it’s quicker for Beanie Boy!
I wonder if it’s boys Jenny? It will be interesting to see how you get on with your little lady when the time is right for her? BB has been going on the toilet every now and then but still getting some very wet nappies too so I think we are a way off yet 🙂
I think all kids are different and learn differently, and what works for one child may not work for another. Thank you for sharing the video miss. I used the 3-day potty training method on my son. He’s now diaper-free by the fourth day.