Takin' on Texas: Maxwell is going to preschool

We did it. We signed Maxwell up for preschool at a Montessori School. I really like that he will be with kids aged 3-5 and that he will be able to learn at his own pace and be challenged regardless of what place the other kids are in. It's been a stressful decision because he is just barely 3. If he was older, I think I would have stressed a little less. Plus I stressed over whether to put him in a traditional preschool class or pay the extra tuition for the Montessori. I think we've made a good choice but as Peter reminds me, we can change our minds at any time.

So we went to the information night with the teacher. Maxwell did pretty good sitting quietly the whole time but he didn't like when another boy got close to him. Oh boy, that made me worried about how he'd do in the class.

So I asked all my questions and was okay until I asked about pull-ups during nap time and his teacher said they wouldn't put him in pull ups during nap time. The expectation was that he was potty trained. I said he was but not at nap time. I quickly got that there was no arguing this point. So then I asked if the teachers would wipe him after he poops and again she said that the expectation was that they were potty trained. And that it may mean that he might come home with little bits of poop on his underwear sometimes. I was stunned. So what I walked away with was that they were completely unwilling to help with anything having to do with the potty. My son needed to do everything on his own.

Well, crap. (haha! get it?!)

Maxwell doesn't always stay dry during his naps and we've always wiped him after he poops. How in the world was I going to teach my barely 3 year old #1 - how much toilet paper to use #2 - which way to wipe #3 - to keep wiping until he's clean etc?! And in a few days? (Today was Friday and he was starting on Monday.) Any one of these topics could take many days for him to get and now he's got to get it before Monday? And he usually poops once a day so that meant I was going to get one shot on Saturday to teach him and one shot on Sunday to solidify it. That was it.

Seriously, I was stunned. This wasn't what I was told when I asked on the phone if he could wear pull ups during nap time.

I almost changed my mind about starting preschool but decided we'd do the best we can and then hope the teacher would be compassionate and help out a little. They can't expect a BOY who turned 3 a week ago to have this all down. (Even his pediatrician said it's normal for 3-5 year olds to struggle to stay dry when sleeping).