Tips on Potty Training for a Three Year Old Boy

By the time a boy has reached the age of 3, they have developed the ability to know when they have to go to the bathroom and the muscle control to be able to hold it. Usually, if a child is late to train, it is more a matter of will than developmental ability. There are many successful techniques for potty training, but above all, consistency is the most important.

  1. Undergarments

    • One effective potty training technique is the use of cloth training pants instead of paper diapers or pull-ups. Feeling the wet cloth next to their skin will tend to be a deterrent for most children. In case of accidents and wetting through, use plastic training pants over the cotton pants.

    Frequency

    • Frequent reminders to go to the bathroom (once per hour) in the beginning will help. On a day when you can devote much of your time to the training process, have the child drink lots of water. This will cause the urge to go frequently, and the repetition will help train him quite quickly.

    Potty Charts

    • Potty charts can be a good motivator. For every time your child uses the bathroom, reward him with a sticker. Set a number of stickers that he must reach until a treat is earned, which should be something special that you know your child will work towards.

    Dr. Phil's Baby Doll Method

    • Dr. Phil recommends using a doll that wets to help train a child. He believes you can train a child in one day by having him help "train" the doll. Have him give the doll a bottle to drink and then take the doll to the bathroom to "teach" it how to use the potty. When the doll wets into the potty, throw a potty party, complete with noise makers, singing and clapping---make it a really big deal. Explain to your child that he too will have a big celebration when he is successful and will even get to call his favorite superhero during his very own celebration. Arrange ahead of time to have a friend or uncle play your child's superhero on the other end of the phone.

    The Cheerio Game

    • Little boys love to aim at targets. Add a bit of fun to toilet training by placing a few Cheerios in the toilet water and having your son aim and shoot the floating bits of cereal. Older siblings or his dad can show your son how the game is played to get him started.

    Encouragement

    • No matter what, keep the experience positive. Never punish a child for an accident. With consistency and lots of positive reinforcement, your son will be successful.

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