Adventures In Potty Training: Take One

      Since going into the early childhood education field my age of expertise is also the age that deals with lots and lots of potty training. I have helped countless numbers of kids learn to use the potty. I have prided myself on knowing all there is to know about being a potty training expert. Enough to know that my son has not shown any interest whatsoever in the potty. He will sometimes put his corduroy bear on in to try, but other than that not interested...or so I thought.
      This week I was looking forward to a very chill week off from introducing any new comcepts to my kid. No lesson plans, just going with the flow. So you can imagine my complete surprise when my kid wakes up Monday morning asking to wear big boy underwear. I had already bought some to be ready for this moment, but with his lack of interest in anything with the potty you can imagine how shocked I was for this as well as hesitant. Big boy underwear was put on after he happily sat on the big boy potty and tried, unsuccessfully, to go potty. Day 1 came and went with lots of unsuccessful attempts at making it in the potty and lots of "accidents." I made big deal when he tried because he never wanted to do this before and downplayed his accidents. Day 2 was rougher to where he woke up begging for big boy underwear, but was more hesitant to sit on the big boy potty at all. Then the rest of the week was him terrified to go near the potty when he actually needed to go. Between his obvious fear and lack of care whether he was wet or dry, and my bad back issues I finally decided the stress was not worth it. He obviously is getting closer to wanting to use the potty, but not quite there, and you know that is ok with me. Potty training should not be filled with tears of fear and trying to hold onto me for dear life to avoid sitting on the potty.
    I also should add because his request of wanting to try out big boy underwear that night after he was in bed I actually became very emotional. There were legit tears while my husband was like, "Why are you crying about ditching diapers?" Honestly I think it was because I also was not mentally prepared for him to make that next step because it came out of no where. I did not cry when he moved from his crib to his big boy bed. I did not cry when we took the rocking chair out of his room. I did not cry when after 3 weeks my kid still refused his naps. Yet, him showing signs of readiness to ditch his diapers did me in. Of course the next morning I started my period, so I know half of that was pms...
     So his first time trying out the potty was not "successful" in the sense that we are moving out of diapers, cause we went back to them. It was successful though because he is aware of the potty. Of not being afraid of sitting on it. Sometimes it is best to go back and wait a month or two. From my years of potty training other's kids I know that it is not odd for a kid to be almost 4 before being fully potty trained. My kid has time. He will get there. It will be on his time though, and not mine.
     Anyone have any helpful potty training tops to share? Please comment ways that helped your child.