The Potty Boot Camp

Toilet Potty Training
By Loo Puay Kiong

Successfully potty training boys is said to take a longer time than girls. Nobody can really tell the reason why, but most people consider the fact the it is the mommies who are the potty-trainers, and considering the difference between males and females, girls are usually the ones who immediately get the idea of toilet potty training since they are physically like their mommies. Boys on the other hand would need a male role model to completely get the right procedure.

Another reason may also be because, more than learning the basics of potty training, boys need to also learn and master the proper way of peeing standing up. At first, boys need to learn to pee sitting down since peeing and pooping usually come at the same time at least for the first few months thus, it would be easier to toilet train them that way.

After a few months or so, when your son can now pee sitting down by himself, he is ready to go to the next step: learning to pee standing up. This would require a male role model so it is better to ask his dad, an older brother or an uncle for help. Make your son go with his male role model to the bathroom and see for himself how it is done. After a while, he can try doing it himself.

To help him perfect the proper way of peeing standing up, here are some potty training tips that you could try:

Aiming takes a lot of practice and so you must be ready to do little wipe-ups here and there before your boy can actually do it right. Show him how to point his penis down so that he won’t spray his pee around the bathroom. It would also be helpful if he has a target to which he can aim his pee. One potty training tip suggests Cheerio cereals, paper boats or any other small, floating and flushable products as useful and fun targets.

Making toilet potty training fun for him can also help. Instead of floating cheerios, you could also try draining the water from the bowl, then painting a red target. This could be another way of perfecting his aim.

Training could also be made fun with his role model. On a trip to the woods for example, or somewhere where it is private, the boy can practice his aim. In the winter, father and son could have a peeing party while trying to right in the snow.

It would also help to make everything about toilet potty training comfortable for the boy. If the boy can not reach the toilet bowl, give him a boost by letting him stand on your toes or providing a safe platform on which he can stand. But, be sure that the toilet seat is secure enough not to fall down on your little boy as he is urinating or is guarded enough to prevent him from scraping his penis. You wouldn’t want his potty experience to be a painful one.

Toilet potty training your young boy won’t be much of a problem for you if you make it fun and easy for your son. Without the stress of trying to learn something new and perfecting it, your young one could learn to go to the potty with ease.

A must read Toilet Potty Training for all parents.
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***Note***
“The Potty Boot Camp: Basic Training for Toddlers” now includes a chapter about how to get your toddler to poop on the potty. It’s straightforward and step-by-step. Please contact me at suzanne@thepottybootcamp.com with any questions you might have.

A question that I am asked on a regular basis is “Why won’t my child poop on the potty?” Know that you are not alone if currently facing this common toilet training problem. As frustrating as it might be, steps can certainly be taken to overcome this stumbling block to diaper freedom.

More common in older potty training children (2.5 years and older), the “poop” issue can become a major power struggle between you and your toddler. The reasons for this apparent stubbornness can be caused by fear, medical problems, embarrassment, or standard toddler contrariness. Let’s tackle each issue one by one:

Medical Problems:
First, a disclaimer: If you believe your child’s unwillingness to poop on the potty is truly a medical issue, please consult with your pediatrician. There is a condition called encopresis which is caused from chronic constipation. Children experiencing encopresis have a problem with the bowel that dulls the normal senses about the urge to go. A more benign medical condition is basic constipation, in which the child fails to have a bowel movement over a couple of days. Usually an increase in dietary fiber or a mild stool softener will help to relieve the situation.

Fear:
Believe it or not, many children believe that poop is a part of their body. Imagine how reluctant you might be to use the toilet if you thought a body part might fall off each time! For other children, the fear comes from the actual sensation of air hitting their bottom, the “plop” that can be heard in the water below, or the sound of flushing. Other children have had a previous painful episode of constipation and they become afraid to experience it again.

Embarrassment:
I think many of us can confess to occasionally “making a stink” about our child’s poop. We joke or tease about the smell, or the size, or the consistency of the poop. Some children, especially the “sensitive” ones, can become self-conscious about this bodily function. If you think this might be the reason for your child’s problem, try to discuss poop in a very matter-of-fact manner. Make it clear to your child that pooping is a very normal and natural part of life. It might be helpful to read books to your child such as “Everyone Poops” by Taro Gomi.

Stubbornness:
For most parents reading this article, the “terrible twos (or threes, or fours)” might be the culprit in your potty problems. The key in convincing your child to use the toilet rather than their pants is to find a method to make the child finally decide that life is just easier and more sanitary if they use the toilet. Some parents are violently opposed to bribes or “punishment” but sometimes the basic concept of “you get as good as you give” is the magic answer. If your child cooperates, they get positive reinforcement. If they don’t, negative reinforcement is dispensed. Allowing the child to decide if the positives outweigh the negatives will actually empower them and allow for increased independence. It’s also temporary - believe me, you won’t have to bribe your child to poop in the potty on the day of their high school graduation!

“The Potty Boot Camp: Basic Training for Toddlers” is a step-by-step toilet training manual that will have your toddler diaper and accident free in about a week. For more information, please visit www.thepottybootcamp.com.