When Do I Teach My 4 Year Old Son to Stand up to Go Potty?

I have two boys, and I teach them 90% of what they know. Daddy is the key factor for standing and learning to pee, when that option is there. You can show him and support him, but spending time watching daddy pee, and daddy helping him the first couple times make it eaiser. I grew up with 5 brothers and a single mom, and she did teach them to stand and pee, but it was lot harder and took more time. It was more challenging because they saw her sit, and they mirrored her behavior as all children do of their parent(s). Best of Luck!!!

Not sure I would attempt to change that behavior... some of the ladies in my play group have "standers" and they spend A LOT more time cleaning the bathroom. JMO I am sure one day my little boys will want to stand also, but I am not going to hurry the day;)

I am a mother of a 4 1/2 year old girl. In Sept of last year she started preschool and was potty trained but with my help. When school started I told her mommy would not be there to help her, IF she needed help snapping or buttoning her pants the teachers could help her, but she would have to take care of herself in the bathroom. She did fine, her pants skirts, whatever are a bit on crooked or turned a bit but she does it herself. I think once school starts for your little guy he will be fine cause he will see the others doing it and want to follow along too. You might start giving him some independence in the bathroom and see what happens. Worst case scinerio he'll have to change his underware...hope this helps

Good or bad - I taught my son by going on my flowers outside. I also bought the (flushable) float fish for the toilet. That was fun! I also leave a stool in the bathroom for him. I'm sure what ever way you want to teach him will be great! Good luck!

My 4 1/2 year old son has been standing to pee for several months & it works great. We decided that it was best because it's hard for a boy to sit & pee in a ladies restroom. The toilets have that cut out in front. He peed right over the front. Dad did all that work. My husband felt a little funny with a child watching him pee, but it works. It also helped that our son idolizes his dad & wanted to do things like him. We tried Cheerios, but that made it a game & my son laughed too hard & still hit the walls. Be prepared for it too take a while & to clean up lots of messes. I've taken to keeping Lysol antibacterial wipes in the bathroom & the diaper bag. I also make him help clean up the mess that he makes.

My 4 year old boy still sits to pee and when we go to a public place he knows he is to stand up. If he wants to sit and it works for him why change it?

My son learned to stand at a urinal when he went to the bathroom with Daddy out in public and wanted to do it like Daddy does. But my five-year-old still sits to pee, as do all my four-year-old preschool boys, when a urinal is not available. I hazard a guess that the program in the fall would be plenty happy if he can get his own pants down, get on the toilet alone, wipe alone, and get dressed again. I wouldn't bother with a toilet target. I doubt they will care if he sits to pee or not.

Have dad help...or grandpa...or Uncle or some guy. They want to be big boys! With my son we started out potty training him that way. He had a step stool to use and used the big potty. He would "race" any guy that would take him to the potty. I have moved the stool to the sink so now he washes his hands by himself also. You can encourage him to do more and more on his own. I was all worried b/c up until he was 4 my son wouldn't undress himslef or redress himself. He could but he wouldn't...now he's figured out that he can get more done on his own than waiting for me. Best Wishes!

The best thing I can think of is have his dad show him. I understand that you stay at home with him and you're around for most of the times he goes to the bathroom, but this is definitely something dad needs to take part in. Who would know better than a male that's been doing it almost his entire life?

I've haven't potty trained a boy yet so I'm not sure when they should try standing up, but when you do decide to have him try it, a friend of mine told me that she floated some Cherrios in the potty and told her son that they were little boats and that he needed to try to sink them. It seemed to help him a lot.

my mom said when she trained my brother, she tore toilet paper into single squares, took a sharpie and put an x on it, and floated one in the toilet each time he had to go - it's cheap, flushable, not funny (cheerios), and doesn't splash all over if you hit it! I plan on using that technique with my son when I start training him in a couple months. good luck!

Hi!
He doesn't have to be standing to be going to the bathroom by himself. My nephews *sit* on the toilet, but do everything by themselves- get their pants down, go in the toilet, wipe and pull up their pants.

If you're really concerned about him standing up, maybe watching his dad would help.

i dont think it matters that he sits, but if you want him to stand, let him pee on a tree outside or something, for practice.

you know a good friend of mine suggested to throw cherios or fruit loops in the toilet and have ur son aim for them. she worked at a daycare and she said that is what they used to do.