Potty Training

I am no expert. I hope you didn't find this blog thinking "She has some good ideas on how to train MY toddler", because I don't. I am certified to teach children birth-3rd grade, yet this potty training business is giving me a run for my money. OK, maybe I'm being dramatic. We have made many improvements, and we are both learning quite a bit and I'm sure in a few years I'll think it went by fairly quickly. But for now, it's like time is standing still and I'm in the Potty Zone (cue eerie music).
I've read and heard many people say "Wait til he's ready". Here are the signs that tell me he is in fact ready

• He is usually dry after nap time
• His diapers bother him. He says they are itching him and he pulls at them
• He asks me to change him right away (which is super cute- "Mommy, can you change me pwease?"

Here are the challenges that told me he isn't ready, however

• He screams and cries when I ask him to sit on the potty
• He can't pull up or down his pants
• Sometimes he yells that he's a baby and not a big boy

Over winter break we bought him some underwear and had him try it out. A few weekends we even put him in underwear for a few hours, which led to many accidents so we just put him back in a diaper. Months have passed and we have been working on it for almost a solid week now. Every day, all day, underwear party. 

At least while he's awake. He has gotten SO much better at all the "challenges" we were facing a few weeks ago. He can pull his underwear up and down. He kicks them off to sit on the potty, but he can even put them back on! He doesn't cry anymore, or rarely. Once in awhile he asks for a diaper and I just tell him that 3 year-olds can't wear diapers and he's usually more cooperative. He isn't afraid of pooping on the potty like some kids, so that's awesome. He's actually pooped 3 times on his little potty so far! But only if we tell him to sit on the potty first. I've been letting him play my "game" (tablet) while he's sitting there, which motivates him enough to stay sitting and do his business. 

New challenges we are facing

• How to keep him off the carpet without making him feel like we don't believe he can hold it and without continually telling him to play on the tile like a dog.
• Getting him to tell us when he needs to go. He does fine when we tell him it's time to use the potty, but when we wait for him to "listen to his body", he has an accident.
• Going places- we've been putting him in a diaper when we go out because he technically is not potty trained yet. Is that sending the wrong message? I don't want to be trapped at home all summer either.
• He doesn't like underwear. He often yells that he doesn't want underwear. We did find out he prefers shorts, PJ shorts especially. I guess he likes the free feeling. Too bad we only have a few pairs of those. Here he is in a pair of green PJ shorts (no underwear). Not sure what's up with the Miley Cyrus tongue action going on...that's his new thing. 

I downloaded 2 potty training apps that have been a huge help! Potty Time has a feature that lets your child call up this lady, Rachel, and tell her you went in the potty or had an accident and it's like she's Skyping with you. She tells Preston how proud she is when he went or to "really listen to your body and when you feel the need to use the potty, stop what you are doing and go to the potty" in a really sweet way so he doesn't feel bad, when he has an accident. Potty Show is an app that has a book and song about the steps to using the bathroom. Preston thinks it's hilarious and loves "Mustache Preston", the character we customized for him. 

Hopefully I'll be able to report that he's fully potty trained in a week or two. I am all ears to any advice or suggestions.