How to stop him urinating outside the bowl?

Gold Member Joined: Mar 30 2008 Posts: 1426

help pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

how can I stop my 4 year old from urinating outside of the toilet bowl? I think he knows he's not meant to, but that he's just careless and gets it all over the rim and back of the seat and on the floor too. is there any hope of a clean bathroom??

I've explained to him so many times in a clear and calm way, but it hasn't helped. any advice?

Cheerios target practice - put a couple of Cheerios into the toilet bowl and have him aim at them.
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What happens when you run out of Cheerios? My seven year old is perfectly capable of urinating into the toilet bowl, but just can't be bothered. Ditto my four year old.

Gold Member Joined: Mar 30 2008 Posts: 1426

I don't want to encourage the kids throwing food into the toilet, or anything else. too many possibilities for interesting experiements...

any other ideas?

You could turn into a policemom and check after each time he goes potty, and then give him a reward for not making a mess, and when he makes a mess, make him clean it up himself.

How about some sort of target to aim for?

A sticker or plastic target attached to a suction cup stuck to the inside of the bowl (check to make sure it can withstand the force of a flush).

Darn it! Someone stole my idea!
Look what I found:

http://www.weetarget.com.au/

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 24 2008 Posts: 6528

My boys have a problem with this in the middle of night and mornings. Not when I want to police.
I just walk on a towel in the morning in my bathroom. I've given up. I want a master bathroom to avoid stepping in morning puddles.

Silver Member Joined: Jun 12 2011 Posts: 707

Gold Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 2124

If you don't want to use Cheerios, try these: http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/Toilet-Targets-PD.html

They're dissolvable and flushable.
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Platinum Member Joined: Apr 12 2010 Posts: 5793

I was going to say to buy one of these aim target things that you put in the toilet.

You could also (if you have the patience) draw a dart board at the back of the inside of the toilet and get him to AIM to it.

Alternatively just make a rule if he doesn't get it in he doesn't get a nash on shabbos or he doesn't get soda at supper or no book at bedtime etc etc
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I used to work at the airport, and there they had an image of a fly inside the toilet bowl in the men's toilet. It was to help keep the toilets cleaner. I think it really worked, not only for little boys.
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Platinum Member Joined: Mar 24 2008 Posts: 6528

A lot of these ideas are good, but they don't work for night time puddles. And you can't really punish a half asleep child, I'm happier its next to the toilet then in his bed.
I also find that at 4 they don't finish in the toilet. Like he thinks he is done and turns away and ends up with the last drips on the floor. Target practice won't help for that either.

I feel so good that I'm not the only one with this problem. My bathroom smells of pish all the time! I can't get rid of the smell anymore the smell is always there faintly even when I use bleach. Every morning we have a puddle of urine on the floor. It's so annoying!

Maybe for the time being, put towels all around the toilet bowl on the floor that you wash daily...

Silver Member Joined: Jul 07 2009 Posts: 932

He might be having trouble reaching over the rim of the toilet. My son could not pish over the rim for awhile. A small platform might help if this is the case.

Also make sure your little guy is lifting the seat. Check once in a while and see whats going on in there.

Other than that, keep some bathroom wipes handy.
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Platinum Member Joined: Mar 24 2008 Posts: 6528

Gold Member Joined: Jun 01 2009 Posts: 2307

Same problem here. Boys! There always seems to be some other lousy excuse why the seat isn't dry after they've finished. I keep promising to get them something nice if it stays clean all week but it ain't seem to be happening.

At this point although I still hope they'll get the hang of things soon enough I keep reiterating that if they make a mess for whatever reason then they must wipe it up themselves. I don't police them all the time so of course it's often overlooked but that's the main message now. Clean up after yourself!!

I keep a pack of baby wipes handy, as well as a bottle of Spray & Wipe. They have become my best friends lol! With time, they eventually get it and even half asleep, they will end up (mostly) in the toilet. But in the meantime, it's just constant clean up.

Sky, the vinegar may take away the urine smell, but then doesn't your bathroom reek of vinegar??
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Silver Member Joined: Nov 02 2009 Posts: 633

In my experience it's a losing battle--even with adult men! Teach him to clean up well after himself--as everyone should, every time.