{Mama's tell all // Adios diapers!}

HallAroundTexas - Potty Training photo potty training_zpsivw8pbf5.jpg

Me: Mason why did you spill your soda?
Mason: I didn't Mama. I peed

Linking up with:


For Mama's Tell All...


Oh man, potty training feels like many moons ago, but I still remember it. And as much as I hate to say it {because I know how difficult it can be} we got really, really lucky in the potty training department. Mason was potty trained at 33 months and it only took 4ish days with only 4 or so accidents. We were very blessed, though, that his school helped with the process. This particular school broke up the rooms like so; newborn-12 months, 12-24 mths, 2's, 3's, Pre-K. And they start potty training them in the twos classroom when they show interest. And again, we were blessed that Mason was ready at this time. I think a big factor was seeing his friends go potty {at school} and he wanted to be big like them! And honestly, I've heard that boys are just easier to potty train than girls. I can't attest to that since I don't have a little girl {Heaven help me if I ever do!}, but I can say Mason was pretty darn easy. 

Here's what worked for us...

He has to be ready...
Make sure they are 100 % ready first and foremost. If they're not ready and you push it you will only bring upon yourself many of tears, stress and frustration. I remember taking Mason to his two year well check and his sweet doctor asking me if he had any interest in potty training. I told her that there have been a couple of times when Mason wanted to potty, but nothing ever happened. She told me to not push it and just let him tell me when he was ready. She said if he's not ready and you push it then it will just be a long journey of basically trading diapers for pull-ups. Boys are stubborn and hard-headed {well, most} and want to do things when they are ready to. She was SO right! 

Talk it up...
Once they show interest start talking it up really good! How cool potty training is and what a big boy/girl they would be if they used the potty. 

Picking out a potty...
Let them decide if they want to use a little potty their size, or if they want the little ring that sits on the big potty. Mason of course didn't care one bit for a tot-sized potty. He wanted to use the big one like Daddy. 

Picking out undies...
Let them pick out their own big boy undies! They will be more inclined to wear them if they picked them out. Super heroes and Ninja Turtles are a big plus in a little boy's world!!

Avoid pull-ups...
Skip the pull-ups! I know!!! Sounds crazy. But it worked for us! I only bought one pack of pull-ups and used only two or three of them. I put one on Mason the first night. And he just peed in it instead of waking up to go potty. So I stopped using them. I had a talk with him and told him that he is wearing big boy undies and if he feels like he needs to go potty he needed to wake up to go. And that was that! To me pull-ups are basically a big boy diaper. For 2 years they have pottied in a diaper and why would a pull-up feel any different? 

Little reminders...
Tell him to go potty every 15 minutes or so, even if it's just one tiny drop. 

Praise...
A little praise goes a long way! Make a really big deal about it when he goes potty in the toilet!! Do a dance, clap, jump up and down, whatever works!!


Other little tidbits for potty training little boys...

Let them pee on trees. It's fun! And takes them to a whole other level of big boy status. But, stress the importance of only doing that at home. Ya know, so they don't do it on the playground at school.

Put a cheerio in the toilet and have them aim at it! 

Always carry extra clothes with you. It may take them a minute to remember they are in big boy undies and need to potty and it may be too late.

Something Mason's school did with the little boys...they made them sit down to potty regardless if it was going #1 or #2. That way they didn't have to think about if they needed to sit or stand each time. Saved quite a few accidents! Now of course Mason knows the difference, but potty training is overwhelming enough...every little thing helps.

Just find what works for you and go with it! And if you have a little boy get ready to clean up a lot of messes. They pee everywhere and on everything. 


The Rambling Llama



What tips and advice do you have for potty training? Was it easy or hard for you?


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16 comments

  1. Potty training Zander was very similar. It helped him seeing daddy stand so he learned the difference quickly but the school did the sitting trick too. With Ainsley it's a whole other story having a girl. She's doing great but the struggle is real. hahaha. She's stubborn. But she's also barely two, so this time next year I know we'll be golden! lol. AND YES to skipping pull ups! Thanks for linking up!! xoxo

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  2. I think talking it up is so important! Kids like to feel grown up so that has to help a ton. Thanks for linking up to Mamas Tell All!

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  3. Great advice! My eldest is nearly 2 and toilet training has been on my mind. Seems silly to push them before they're ready! The whole thing feels a bit daunting but you make it sound very straight forward x

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  4. Oh potty training! So glad that is behind us! We skipped pull ups, Too. I think they are a waste of money. Back when I worked in daycare, I was one of the potty trainer teachers (lol), however it is so different potty training your own. :) Cash was fully potty trained at 30 months. We skipped a potty chair, too, & just used a seat that sits on our toilet. There are so many different ways to go & each child is so very different.

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  5. Ahh I dread doing this with Hamp. Of course, I am looking forward to a day with no diapers, but this process terrifies me. haha Thank you for these wonderful tips!

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  6. We did the same as you, just waited until he was ready. Good tips, and yes to the sitting down thing when they are learning. We actually had him sit backwards on the toilet (so he's facing the toilet seat cover) at first, helped to prevent him from falling in.

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  7. Perfect! Wyatt shows signs of being ready off and on. Like two weeks ago he had a day where he went all morning in the potty. Since then it's been just hit/miss. I'm really going to focus on it this summer; probably early June. Thanks for the tips!

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  8. You and I were on the same page with the potty training steps/tips! I half heartily tried potty training when Marcus wasn't quite ready, and I quickly discovered it was not a battle I was willing to fight. Once HE was ready, oh man, it was such smooth sailing. And the Pull-Ups - it's just a glorified pull-on diaper. No thank you!

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  9. It is always 100x's easier when they are ready. I can't even imagine potty training a little man though. It is so nice to say adios to the diapers. They are never missed.

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  10. It took Oakland 2 days and I tried a few months earlier and he wasn't ready so we waited until he was and it worked after being naked during the day for 2 days and not ever wearing pull ups 😀😀

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  11. I agree esp with the wait until they are ready. I see no reason to push Aria. We talk about it almost every day. When she is ready she'll get to it!

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  12. My daughter basically potty trained herself at 22 months so we got very very lucky! She always hated having a dirty diaper, even as a baby. My son on the other hand....he is only 8 months but he could sit in a dirty diaper for hours and not even notice - I am not looking forward to his potty training days :) Thanks for sharing the tips - they will come in handy!

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  13. Being ready and picking out fun underwear together were keys for us for sure!!! We tried a little PT boot camp about 3 months before she was potty trained and it did not work - because she was not ready. When she was ready - she intiatied it and it was like she potty trained herself -- so much better! But really the key lesson - which was your first tip - is wait until they are ready!

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  14. Ah peeing on trees! Yes, yes. Once Drey got the hang of that "feeling".. he had so much fun peeing standing up AND on things haha. He loved aiming for certain flowers and rocks in our backyard, it was cute. Now all he does is talk about his balls and wants to cross pee paths with his dad. Boys are weird.

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  15. I am so thankful that Mason's school said they would help with potty training! I know nothing about potty training a boy so I am glad they said they would start the process and all we have to do is keep it up. I kinda feel like it's cheating, but hey, I'll take it :)

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  16. These are great tips and much appreciated (coming from a mom of a two-year-old boy who is about to embark on potty training for the first time). The cheerio idea is amazing - and it made me giggle. Thanks so much for linking up with Mamas Tell All!

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Thanks for the comments! Hope you are having an amazing day!!