The Best Way to Potty Train a Three Year Old Boy

Potty training can be a lot of work for both the parents and the preschooler. Boys tend to take longer to train, but most boys are ready by the time they are 3 years old. It is important to watch for cues and let the potty training be almost self led, because if you push too hard, it often makes it much more difficult to train your boy to use the pot.

  1. Use Rewards

    • When it comes to potty training, rewarding your boy is not a bad thing. At the beginning you may want to offer a small reward for every time they use the bathroom. After a few days the reward may switch to being dry in between potty breaks. As your child is more successful you can slowly back off the types of rewards. Some children are just happy putting stickers on a sheet of paper, while others need something more tangible such as a treat or a small toy. The rewards phase rarely lasts more than two weeks.

    Focus on Consistency

    • When you first begin potty training it is important to be consistent. You may want to set a timer and have your child try to go every 15 minutes to half an hour. This will help you child become used to being dry. It may be best to cancel all outside activities for the first few days so that your child can focus on potty training. It also helps to keep your child in underwear consistently during the day instead of switching back and forth between diapers and underpants.

    Practice

    • It is important that your son feels comfortable using the bathroom. A potty seat or training ring can help him feel comfortable on the toilet. If he asks to use the bathroom at any time, let him. This will give him the opportunity to feel comfortable with using the rest room. It also helps to have someone model how to use the toilet; a father or brother may be the most effective.

      Although it may be easier to have your son begin training by sitting down, there are games you can have him play to improve his aim when he is ready to begin standing up to use the restroom. One game is to have him sink the Cheerios that you place in the bowl. You can also reward him when you do not have to wipe up misses consistently.

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