We’re in the process of toilet training Zacharie. He’ll be 3 in May, and while some of our friends and family managed to tackle the task earlier, we’re just getting around to it now.
We thought we had a breakthrough last year when he would sit on the potty, but then amidst a move and birth of his new brother, keeping up with the habit slipped.
However, during the whole time we kept talking to Zacharie about peeing on the potty. We’d ask him if he wanted to go. We’d tell him he could go. We’d remind him that big boys do go on the potty and showed him all the cute big boy underwear that was waiting for him if he would learn to pee on the potty.
The past month he’s gotten to the point where he tells us immediately after something happens, but the past 2 weeks we’ve been able to get him to tell us before. So we’re getting there.
I asked some friends on Facebook and Twitter for advice in their methods and some said you just go cold turkey, others recommended Potty Time with Elmo on DVD, another suggested Cheerios in the toilet for target practice.
That would imply standing to do your business. Here’s a confession – I sit. I have since my mid teens when I wore bikini underwear that didnt have “access” to easily stand (it was the 80s, cut me some slack). So with Zacharie, I have no urge to make him stand. Sitting on the potty is just fine by me.
It’s easier to hit the target when you’re sitting down, there’s a seat right there ready for you to use, and there’s no splashing from great heights. The best reason, of course, is no stereotypical fight between my wife and I about “leaving the seat up.”
Most videos and theories about toilet training children starts with them sitting on the potty (girls AND boys) so for me it begs the question, when did you make the switch to get them to stand, and why? 
Toilet sign photo by FMGB
Buzz is married to Jennifer and has 2 sons. Zacharie was born in May 2007 and Charles in January 2010. Buzz is a radio guy who enjoys building bridges between old and new media.
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I'm with you on sitting. Urinals are fine for stand-up use in public washrooms, but when I'm using the traditional WC, sitting down has been the way to go for me for decades. I'm not sure why some guys find that emasculating.
As for toilet training, we didn't stress about it too much and just let our girls figure it out when they were ready. Our oldest was about 3-1/2, which is late for some people, but then her sister got the gist about the same time, at only 18 months of age. Suddenly we went from diapers for two to none at all over the span of a month or two, which was quite a transition. I think most of the time all the cajoling and training and whatever is more show than effect — kids seem to learn it when they're physiologically and mentally prepared, whenever that is.
Anything is fine with me as long as my children are comfortable with it.
Hi Buzz, I miss you in Vancouver! ( I have to admit I tune into you online occasionally!) I am a mom of 2 boys, both are now potty trained – one with luck and one with perserverance!) I have never taught them to stand, and their dad does not stand either. (Less messy and easier when you are 2.5 than trying to stand on the stool and coordinate an action!) My 5 year old still sits down and does not think anything of it. However, when he was about 3.5 or 4 we did teach him to stand ay public toilets as there are “slightly” less germs that way. The best advice I was given while trying to potty train the oldest was – “pretty much every kid is trained by kindergarten”. My older son was pee trained for a quite a while, but was afraid to go poop. He would go into his room, take off his pants and underwear, put on a pull up and do the job. He obviously got the concept of what was going to happen. One day, you will catch things just right and that will be it. I don't think cold turkey will make a child more comfortable and confident on the potty. Keep with the underwear, don't worry about accidents (good old fashioned plastic pants make less mess for the parents but still help the child feel what happens if they pee in the pants.) Good luck in Calgary and congrats on your boys.
We were trying to get our twins trained but were having no end of issues, and then one day we took them to their preschool about a week before it started, in order to meet the teachers. They asked our boys if they were trained, because they were supposed to be able to go on their own to attend the preschool. They both went home that Friday and had trained themselves by Saturday afternoon. They wanted to go to preschool that badly. Go figure.
We were trying to get our twins trained but were having no end of issues, and then one day we took them to their preschool about a week before it started, in order to meet the teachers. They asked our boys if they were trained, because they were supposed to be able to go on their own to attend the preschool. They both went home that Friday and had trained themselves by Saturday afternoon. They wanted to go to preschool that badly. Go figure.
We were trying to get our twins trained but were having no end of issues, and then one day we took them to their preschool about a week before it started, in order to meet the teachers. They asked our boys if they were trained, because they were supposed to be able to go on their own to attend the preschool. They both went home that Friday and had trained themselves by Saturday afternoon. They wanted to go to preschool that badly. Go figure.