Any advice on how to introduce cloth undies?

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So, my 3-year-old son is making pretty good headway on the potty training, enough that he uses his little potty several times a day and has stayed dry through two naps this week. He actually WANTS to go to preschool, and has made a little friend of sorts there (we are there daily to drop big sister off), but we need to finish potty training and get the undies on first. I would LOVE to have this done during this school year while his sister is still in the classroom so she can ease the transition for him.

So, we are SOOOOOOO close to the goal, but the problem is this: He just does NOT want to wear the cloth undies. We picked them out, they are Diego and Thomas Train undies (the two things in life he loves!), he was excited to OWN them, but getting him to actually WEAR new types of clothing is always a struggle. It takes months each spring and fall to transition him into seasonally appropriate clothing (i.e. long sleeves or pants vs. short ones). So, while he seemed pretty stoked at the idea of big-boy undies, he had a meltdown when I suggested he try them on. I've brought it up a few times since, and he always responds, "No wear undies!!"

Anyone have a kid who is like this (or experience being a kid who is resistant to new clothing)? I would love suggestions on how to ease the transition from Pull-Ups to cloth undies. I don't want to just MAKE him wear something he seems terrified of. I wouldn't even care, but he talks every day about how he's going to be going to preschool and he's always bitterly disappointed when we leave his sister and he has to come home with me (and this from a boy who screamed blue murder at the beginning of the school year rather than set foot in the school building).

has he tried to wear them yet?

I am not exactly sure what the problem is, but it could be because the underwear isn't comfortable to him. Perhaps the material is too itchy? I know rough cotton can sometimes feel uncomfortable. If that is the case you could put them in the laundry with some fabric softener.

My son doesn't really have the new clothes issue, so we didn't face this. My son didn't want to stop what he was doing to go the potty, so I started giving him rewards (a skittle or an m&m) for at least trying. Maybe you could think of something as a reward for him to at least try them on. Then make a huge deal out of what a big boy he is. Tell him that Daddy wears big boy underwear. Maybe if he can wear them just a little bit at a time, he will see that they are ok. Just ideas---I guess we all have different issues to deal with!! !
Good luck!

what would happen if you got a couple pairs that are big enough for him to wear over the pull ups, that way he gets used to having underwear on while still having pull up security?

I wonder if the undies feel much "lighter." Or, he may just want the security of a pull up. Either way, will the preschool allow him to wear the pull-ups as long as they don't need changing? Most preschools are pretty understanding that accidents happen; they just don't want to be responsible for changing diapers.

To answer your questions, he has not tried them on, and I did offer to let him wear them over the Pull-Ups but he laughed nervously and ran away squealing in a way that let me know I probably shouldn't push it. They have come out of the package, but he has not touched them yet. He simply does not like new clothes, and especially new TYPES of clothes. He used to be that way with new toys, too, but he's gotten over that.

I will try the reward idea -- perhaps some candy will entice him to at least try wearing them for a minute or two. Thanks for your responses!

Hethera-what I noticed with my son, is that after a while, he forgot about the candy, and just got used to going to the potty. I have used the reward system like that for several issues, and usually once he gets the hang of things, and realizes that he can do something, he forgets about the reward!

Angelbear - My son is the same way! We used to reward him for sitting on the potty because he was afraid of it, and now he LOVES to sit on it, even there is no candy. I don't know why I didn't think of just bribing him to wear the undies! Sometimes I just overthink this stuff. Thanks for the input!