Boys & Public Bathrooms

xxbrittanyxx182

Our LO is 23 months and has been showing an interest in the potty for the last month or so. At home we use a stool and padded potty training seat on our toilet for him. I jumped on the opportunity to potty train him while he is expressing an interest in it. Over the past few weeks we have transitioned from diapers full time, to undies at home and pull ups while we are out and about as well as during nap/night time. He never has accidents at home anymore, he is great about going to the potty to pee pee and poo poo. The step we are struggling with is when we are not at home. As I mentioned, we usually put him in a pull up when we leave the house and frequently ask him if he has to use the potty when we are out. I have also started making the habit of immediately taking him to try the potty when we first arrive at each destination. I am finding that he is distracted in the public restrooms and does not go and relies on his pull up. I make sure he goes potty before we leave the house to try to avoid accidents.

Anyone have any successful tips on potty training while out and about in public bathrooms? Also, to parents of little boys, do you have them sit on public bathroom seats and just help hold them up (he would fall into the seat if I didn't) or do you have them stand on the seat and support under their arms? My LO is still too short to be able to stand on the floor and be able to reach the toilet bowl without a stool.

Thanks!!

banfrog

My boys had a hard time with using public toilets while potty training. Often they had a hard time focusing being in a new place they'd rather explore. What worked for me is potty treats. I'd keep a special potty treat in my purse that they'd only get if they pottied in a public bathroom. It was a different reward than what they got at home, so they were more motivated to try to use a public bathroom because that was the only time they could get that specific treat.

2winterbabies

banfrog said:

My boys had a hard time with using public toilets while potty training. Often they had a hard time focusing being in a new place they'd rather explore. What worked for me is potty treats. I'd keep a special potty treat in my purse that they'd only get if they pottied in a public bathroom. It was a different reward than what they got at home, so they were more motivated to try to use a public bathroom because that was the only time they could get that specific treat.

I am currently potty training and  this is what I do at home and in public. Right now, he does get shy at times and completely refuse the public restroom and goes in his pull up but when I offer a treat and he wants it really bad, he'll use it.

At home, he does it all time #1 and #2. He goes back and forth between pull ups and "big boy" underwear. So we are kind of struggling with that part. When he puts on the pull ups he will only go #1 in it though and not that much. It's usually when he feels lazy and doesn't want to use the potty anymore is when he "requests" a pull up. I think I am going to have to put my foot down, but I am scared he'll regress more so I'll roll with it.

*LrCg*

If he can do it at home, he can do it out and about.  The reason he has issues is because you give him an option.  I wouldn't put him in pull ups anymore.  Kids feed off your feelings and perhaps your nervous about going out and about.  Maybe your nervous about trying a new bathroom.  I've always treated it just like a regular bathroom and none of my kids have had issues (and they were PT younger then your LO).  The only thing I do different is I pack our foldable potty seat in my purse (here's a similar one, mine is just a different character: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/disney-mickey-folding-travel-potty-seat-with-storage-bag/1043176113?skuId=43176113?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=Condition=NEW&mcid=PS_bing_nonbrand_brand_&creative=9338890555&device=c&matchtype={MatchType}) and I usually keep sticking notes in my purse as well to cover the automatic flusher.  I didn't allow my older DS to stand peeing up until he was closer to 3 years old (which means he's was PT for @ 1 1/2 years before I allowed him) & I'll do the same with my youngest DS as well.

banfrog

I only needed to do special potty treats out in public with pull ups for about a month. DS1 actually only took 2 weeks (we don't go out much) and DS2 took about a month (he's particular about which public bathrooms he'll use, it's a sensory thing for him). They were keeping the pull up dry pretty consistent, so we switched to underpants. Had a couple accidents but followed up with potty treats with the next couple of successful public pottying and they haven't gone back to pull ups. After the first accident, they both had begged to be back in a pull up. I used the potty treat then as motivation to avoid regression.

cupcakes710

banfrog said:

My boys had a hard time with using public toilets while potty training. Often they had a hard time focusing being in a new place they'd rather explore. What worked for me is potty treats. I'd keep a special potty treat in my purse that they'd only get if they pottied in a public bathroom. It was a different reward than what they got at home, so they were more motivated to try to use a public bathroom because that was the only time they could get that specific treat.

This is such a great idea!  I'm going to try to do the same.  We've been potty training for 4 days and my son is only 2.  This evening, we have to go out into the world, and I'm pretty positive he's going to have an accident(s).  I guess I'll just bring a lot of extra changes of clothes (I don't want to go back to diapers).