I cant talk about training boys specifically, but I am trying to train DD2 at the moment, so you have all my sympathy for your day spent cleaning!

DD1 wanted to sit on her potty from 18 months, and so I got out the potty to familiarise DD2 with it last summer, when she was also about 18 months. Reaction - run away and wee on the patio or hide behind the shed for a poo! The nearest she got to sitting on it was either backwards, or when she had stacked 4 cloth nappies on it for comfort LOL! If she sat on it backwards, then I noticed as soon as she felt something happening she would stand up and try to run away.

But I learned with DD1 that if you put any pressure on, then the fun goes out of the game and you have a battle onyour hands, so I backed off as the autumn came on. Then all of a sudden she wanted to sit on the toilet seat insert and I was spending December with her in the toilet room! She isnt there yet, but we are making progress - typical - another winter training! And now she is comfortable sitting on the potty too. I'm sure if I forced the issue I'd either end up with a resistant child who wouldnt train for another 6 months, or a fully trained 2.5 year old. But I cant be bothered! If she hasnt got it by next summer I'll get my act together. But potty training while it's snowing is no fun!

In essence, what I'm saying is to give him time, he's still really little. Most boys I've known trained between 2.5 and 3, AND trained much faster than girls who seemed to day-train about 6 months earlier, but usually spent an extra year in nappies at night. IMO just spend the next 6 months doing toilet-talk, so when he gets going with talking he will have the language and understanding to tell you what he wants to/is doing. Then you'll spend the next 10 years telling him to STOP toilet talk LOL! And leave the potty about so he can sit on it to watch TV fully clothed if he prefers, so it will become familiar.

my son is 20 months old and i've been toilet training him

i started when he was bout 16months old (coz he was takin off nappies) by gettin him a potty (its one that conversts to go over the toilet later), he lovely it but not 2 go 2 the loo on just as a toy and a step lol

but thats ok anyway i've been really lucky with my son as he has been aware that he needs 2 go b4 he starts so he comes and tells me poo (started out callin poos pee haha so cute) and holds his bum so i pick him up and take him 2 the toliet, put him on the big toilet because he wont use the potty, i hold his hands and tell him how well hes doin and that i'm very proud of him bein such a big boy, i tell him look poo and he has a look and gets very excited usually wants to get off 2 have a look but i tell him 2 finish first lol

when hes done i clean him up he climbs onto the toilet seat lid n flushes ( he loves it and wants 2 do it heaps) we wash hands and i tell him hes such a big boy and that i'm proud i keep sayin it so he realises that hes done a good thing, give him lots of kisses n cuddles

also he has accidents but thats normal sometimes the game they are playin is just 2 excitin 2 leave hehe, but when he has accidents i get him 2 hold my hand we go get some toilet paper and pick it up if its poo then we go into the toilet and put it in the bowl and do the whole flush and wash hands thing and i tell him that the toilet is where poo goes and he really does understand

and i think the main thing is dont force it or make them feel bad for accidents, possitive reenforcements always work so well and make them feel proud of their efforts aswell

keep up the good work!!!!!

you could try one of those kiddy toilet seats that come with stairs that goes over the adult toilet i used that with my second child and it worked great!

 http://www.juvenilesolutions.com/pottys.html

I had the nappy taking off stage with James, usually in his bed first thing in the morning and sometimes he did pee, I just told him no a few times and he got the message, except for one time on hols at my bro in laws I found him sat in their bedroom doorway with no nappy, luckily no mess! lol.  I have just started potty trining James, he'll be 3 soon.  We started back in March to let him just sit on it and play with it, started with him sitting fully clothed then eventually he would sit on without a nappy. This didn't last for long as he became nervous of it and would scream if I got him to sit on it so we left it til he was ready.  His Daddy started him off using it last month but it's only been past 5 days he's really got the hang of it,  been dry for 5 days now with only 2 accidents. 

I think try him on a potty, I got ours from a friend but any baby shop will sell them and some supermarkets and Toys r Us (Babies r Us section), and start him by sitting, but if he doen't seem comfortable then don't force it.

A good tip for standing training is to place a table tennis ball in the loo, and get them to use it at a target!

Ju xx

Firstly I have to say boys are way harder to toilet train then girls!! I am currently toilet training my son 28mnth old son and he is doing really well I think the best time to toilet train is definately in the some months when most of the time is spent outside and any accidents can easilt just be hosed off. My son isnt using the toilet for poos yet but he wears undies all day and goes for wees on the grass to try and shoot some ants or has a step that helps him reach the toilet whilst standing. I definately would say try not to hurry your boy and definately wait till he can communicate a little. Whilst waiting I would let him watch you or your partner go to the toilet occasionaly so he developes a bit of an iterest in it when it comes time

My son started potty training at 2.  He did really well for about a month, but he was talking.  Then it just stopped.  I didn't want to push it, and stress myself and him out.  I started again when he was three and it took about a month and he was done day, about another month later he was training at night.

Don't stress when they're ready they will let you know.  Toddlers uses toilet action like food, as a bit of a control thing.  What goes in and what goes out, it's about all they have control over in their little lives, and they use it.  If your son keeps taking his nappy off, get him some bodysuits there's ones with short arms and no legs, I know it's getting hot, and then he'll find it harder to get them, off.

I know it's hard but when he does take it off and leave you a surprise. Don't react.  He might like the reaction that he gets. Just put a clean nappy on him, and say put him in the naughty corner or his room/cot whatever.  Go back in a mintue, and say something simple that he can understand that it's not on. But say it calmly, and try to keep emotion off your face.

My kids always laughed at me when I yelled at them, I guess I'm really scary  The face must of been funny.  I find a low calm vicoe way more effective.  I wish you luck with it.

yes indeed you are right communication is the key. my son started potty training by the age of 2. he started taking his diaper of himself.

try to make it as fun as possible for him to use the loo. most toddlers are afraid of the big white loo and the noises it makes when it is flushed. i used to clap hands for him everytime he made a wee on the potty or toilet. i started him off by sitting down on it. he let me know when he was ready to stand and make a wee. as for the brown surprises if he wants to have a diaper to poo in give him one and then after he is done take the diaper and throw only the poo into the toilet and tell him congrats look you gave mr toilet food for his tummy. maybe you can try that and see if it works.

try to take him to the toilet every ten or fifteen minutes he will start to go into a routine after a while and see its not that bad.

as for a little advice on a potty. i found a potty from bambino that clips onto the big toilet seat and that also helps to make them more secure on the big loo.

all the best

Hey there,

It sounds like your son isn't ready. I found when we were toilet training our son we introduced the potty a few weeks before we really started. We let him play with it and we let him watch us use the toilet. (only do this if you are comfortable with it). Teaching them to sit on it will be easier than trying to teach him to stand up. My son has been toilet trained for a few months now and he still doesn't stand up for wees.

We didn't start training our son till he was almost 3, he did have speech problems so we held off till we were sure he knew what was going on.

When you do decide to start training him choose a week when you know you are going to be home because it is so hard to work out where every public toilet is and sometimes kids don't like using public toilets. I found using pull up training pants didn't work because my son just thought they were nappies.

With my sons potty we found one that converts into a step as well so it is a bit higher. I can't actually remember the brand but it has sesame street characters on it. (baby sesame i think) My son just sit right back on it and pushes his little package into the potty. (hehehe)

 Good Luck and i hope this all helps,

Juzzy xoxoxoxoxo