Potty Training: Toilets or Urinals

Potty training is a big milestone for your little one, but it isn't always the easiest process. Several decisions must be made when you begin potty training, and making the right choice can make potty training simpler for you and your child. When it comes to toilet training boys, it can be hard to decide whether the toilet or the urinal is a better tool for teaching him the basics.

  1. Benefits of Toilets

    • One of the main benefits of potty training using your standard toilet is that your son learns to go anywhere. If you show him how to urinate or have a bowel movement into a toilet bowl, he'll be prepared to go at other people's homes, the grocery store or at the baseball game. You'll probably need to keep a stool by the toilet so he can get off and on easily when he needs to go. In public, lifting him onto the toilet likely is necessary where ever you are.

    Drawbacks of Toilets

    • A toilet can be a scary thing for a little boy. It's so tall and it makes a loud sound when it's flushed. At the same time, if you teach your little boy to urinate sitting down on the toilet, he may have trouble going standing up when gets to preschool, or if only a urinal is available in the boy's bathroom at the mall or the dollar store. It's best to teach your little one to urinate sitting and standing, so he's prepared for any bathroom situation he's faced with when you're not in the comfort of your own home.

    Benefits of Urinals

    • Urinal training is a good idea if you often use public bathrooms, or your little one goes to daycare or school where the toilet is used for bowel movements only. Teaching your son to urinate standing up is a skill he'll need as he gets older too. He might not be comfortable urinating in a standard toilet at school when his friends only use the urinals. Some baby supply stores sell training urinals that you can use at home rather than having to practice in public bathrooms.

    Drawbacks of Urinals

    • Most parents start potty training by teaching kids to urinate, then move toward using the toilet for bowel movements. If your little one is accustomed only to using a urinal, whether it's a training version at home or the one in the public bathroom, he's going to have trouble when he needs to sit down to have a bowel movement. Alternate between the urinal and toilet, so your son is comfortable using either option. This makes potty training less stressful for both of you.

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