The effect of a "simple" solution

I recently heard about a young person who had their timetable changed. Despite everyone knowing they struggle with mornings, they’ve been scheduled to do an academic assessment early in the day.

What’s frustrating is that this assessment could easily happen later in the day, and the education provider knows mornings are hard for this student because of their strict routine and the timing of their medication.

A reasonable adjustment was requested to move the assessment time—something that should be straightforward. But the solution offered? They were told to just "get up earlier."

Unfortunately, this kind of response is all too common. It’s exhausting to keep pushing back, but it’s so important to remember that these “simple” fixes aren’t so simple for the person needing the adjustment. It doesn't help the young person's self esteem when other people claim that a solution they simply cannot do, is in fact very easy and simple. This approach can be very damaging.

Sometimes, it’s about calmly educating the professionals involved and helping them understand why it’s not as easy as they think.