All potty training guides will inform you that your little boy will need to learn to stand up when he urinates, yet sit down for bowel movements. But although many will give advice on whether the child should learn to stand up from the beginning or learn sitting down first, they won’t really be able to tell you which approach will work best for your own child. When it comes to boys and potty training, that choice is going to depend on how well any individual boy will handle the method you choose.
Traditional potty training wisdom would seem to suggest that it’s smartest to start out with sitting down for either function. It isn’t a “sissy” way to do it, and he’s not being taught to “pee like a girl,” and it should never be considered this way.
Remember that the complete process of understanding how to use the toilet is already a big thing for kids, and potty training just becomes more problematical if they are asked to learn too much at one time. Learning to sit for BMs and then stand up and hit the target for peeing may just be too many new activities to take in simultaneously.
It’s probably easier for the child and less frustrating for the parent if he starts his toilet training sitting down for both functions. Keep in mind that once he does start standing to urinate, having a potty on the floor could involve a lot of splashing. So you’ll need to think from the beginning about whether he’ll start using the toilet for that, and whether you should start him up there for everything, using a special training seat. Boys and potty training provoke a bit more logistical planning than the same sort of training for girls.
Whatever you choose, it’s clear that boys and potty training will involve a few more steps than training for girls. Girls are unlikely to face quite so many logistical issues; sitting versus standing, toilet versus potty, and so on. Another thing to consider if your child is in day care is whether they potty train a child the same way you do. If your boy gets mixed messages or methods, then he may have a difficult time. All these considerations are things you need to work out, preferably in advance, so your child’s potty training adventure can proceed as smoothly and successfully as possible.
Did you know there are differences between toilet training boys vs girls? Find out more at Toilet Training Tips.


