We’ve all heard them: the death in the family, the problem with the computer, the illness, the new job with added responsibilities, the natural disaster, the “major” personal problems, and the good ol’ “things have just been overwhelming of late.” They’ve come so often that it is very easy to get a bit jaded and to begin looking at every excuse with suspicion. There are certainly instances in which the student’s excuse is legitimate; it then falls to the instructor to decide how much flexibility and leeway that that student should get with an assignment, quiz, etc. How do you decide on your response to a student’s excuse? What role should you play when a student is experiencing a difficult situation? How can you incorporate these excuses into your approach to teaching?