How to Potty Train a Boy at Night

Nighttime toilet training is usually the last phase of the potty training process. According to Dr. Sears, "Don't expect nights free of diapering until several weeks [or months] after daytime training has been successful." In order to be trained at night, your child has to be developmentally ready, which may occur a few months later for boys than for girls. The University of Michigan Health System website says children may not stay dry overnight until the ages of five or six. Nighttime dryness is often a result of readiness more than training.

Instructions

    • 1
      Wait for daytime success before attempting nighttime potty training.

      Assess the results of your daytime potty training. Has your child successfully stayed dry throughout the day for several weeks? If so, he may be ready to train at night. However, if he is still having daytime accidents, he may need some time before you attempt nighttime training. If your child is staying dry during the day, is it because you are repeatedly asking him if he needs to go potty or does he seem to be recognizing the cues on his own when he needs to go? If he is not recognizing the feeling of a full bladder and equating this to time to use the potty, then he is not ready to potty train at night.

    • 2
      Limit drinks before bedtime.

      Have your son empty his bladder before bed every night. Don't allow drinks in the hour before bedtime. This makes success more likely since your child's bladder will not be full overnight.

    • 3
      Quit using diapers at night.

      Quit placing your child in diapers at night. For some children, completely removing diapers sends a cue to their brain, preventing them from urinating in bed. If your son has accidents and is awakened by the wetness, he might not urinate overnight in the future.

    • 4
      Use an alarm to wake up for a potty visit.

      Awaken your son at the same time each night to visit the bathroom. Set your alarm for the middle of the night, and try to get your son to empty his bladder. Doing this at the same time every night might help him learn to wake himself up for bathroom visits in the future. This doesn't work for some boys because they stay in too deep of a sleep to actually urinate. Discontinue the practice if it doesn't work for your family.

    • 5
      Offer a reward.

      Offer a reward. Talk to your child at bedtime about staying dry, and give a reward for success. You might motivate your child by placing a coin or piece of candy on a dresser in his bedroom and allowing him to keep the reward if he wakes up dry. Try using a sticker chart to allow your child to work toward a bigger reward if the small ones don't interest him.

    • 6
      Celebrate your son's successes.

      Congratulate your son each morning he wakes up dry. Make a big deal out of his success. This reinforces the behavior.

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