Troubles With Potty Training Boys

The woes of potty training boys need not be extensive or even existent.

Being successfully potty trained may not be essential for physical survival, but it is vital for social survival. Young boys, with their notorious uncouth behavior, are often prime candidates for violating some form of social behavior that can hinder their developmental progress. An ancient principle even states that a boy let on the loose is causing his mother shame. Thankfully, there are guiding principles and insights that can aid parents and caregivers in potty training boys.

Physical

You need not have a degree in psychology to understand a boy's potty training difficulty. A decent part of the trouble may simply come from a boy's inherent nature and physiological development. The book, "The Trouble with Boys," reveals that difficulty with potty training is common for boys. Part of this may be because boys typically mature more slowly than girls and thus are slower at predicting their bodily functions.

Psychological

Another reason could be because of a boy's rebellious nature, viewing potty training as a battle of wills. While girls are often eager for becoming more like their mothers, boys often see potty training as their mother's attempt at controlling them or taking something away from them. Still, both boys and girls may resist potty training in a psychological response to stress and a longing for a more benign world where less is required of them.

Statistics

Author Rebecca Phillips notes that it is four to five times more likely that boys will visit clinics for help in controlling this bodily function than it is for girls. It's been seen that allowing an outside influence into the situation has helped many boys progress in their potty training. It's also been seen that boys often do better when first going potty sitting down, later progressing to going while standing up in imitation of their male role models.

Teachers

Same-gender role models make the potty training process easier and potentially help avoid troubles, as seeing the same anatomy of male adults, older siblings or other boys at school leaves no doubt about what the procedure is. At the same time, there is no evidence that women potty training boys significantly inhibits the training process, according to "The Potty Training Answer Book."

Considerations

Author Esther Wolfson says that many boys aren't ready for potty training until they are three years old. While it's understandable that parents will want their boys progressing at the same rate as other boys, it's better that the potty training experience be as smooth and conflict-free as possible, especially when considering a boy's nature being more inherently opposed to potty training. Forcing training upon a boy in such a situation may adversely affect his emotional health.

References

• The Trouble with Boys; Angela Phillips; 1995
• The Potty Training Answer Book; Karen Deerwester; 2007
• Whole Family: Toilet Training