Sometimes parents are living in Dreamy-Dream Land when it comes to accommodations and 504 Plans. They come up with all these schemes and interventions that may make some sense (although often it doesn’t) on paper, but in reality the child wants no part of the accommodations and is not interested in the schemes. If you are not around too many kids (other than your own) you may have forgotten the one predominant law in the universe of childhood – “Don’t do anything that will embarrass me or make me look different.” Now, we may not like that law and we may do some teeth gnashing, that it is unfair, but laws are laws. This is a law that has stood the test of time. It has never changed. So, if your child may be having trouble distinguishing sounds, for example, but is embarrassed to be the only one in his/her class with an FM auditory trainer, maybe you shouldn’t push too hard. Maybe it’s not worth it. Or if your child is the one who has some blinking device on his desk to cue him in to pay attention at different intervals, you may be winning a battle (paying attention better), but losing a war (shame). Most of us experienced shame at some point in our schooling. Many experienced it far too often. You probably can remember like it was yesterday when you heard snickers from others around you when you were made fun of for something you did. So, when you are drawing up your elaborate 504 Plans, put yourself in your child’s shoes before you do battle with the school. Maybe the child’s core feeling is, “Thanks, mom, but no thanks.”