Should Perfect Attendance Be Rewarded?

It’s common to reward students for achievements in sports and academics. Some schools reward kindness. What about perfect attendance? Should students be rewarded for showing up every day? There’s no doubt that success at school depends on being present and ready to learn. But some people say rewarding perfect attendance isn’t fair. It penalizes kids who miss school for reasons beyond their control. We put the question to our readers. Here’s what some of them had to say.

Sophia Montoya, 11

Phoenix, Arizona

It’s important to reward children for perfect attendance. A reward encourages a habit of showing up. When kids grow up, their paycheck will be their reward. Aren’t the adults in our lives proof that this encouragement works? Rewarding perfect attendance helps instill this value early on. And it adds to students’ sense of purpose. They’re learning and making friends. And they’re being recognized for their efforts. I believe that rewarding kids for attendance is a great way to motivate them and help them develop good habits.

Mark Shilakes, 11

East Lansing, Michigan

Kids don’t have much control over when they’re able to come to school. They can miss school because of illness or injury, or even a family vacation. Have you ever been absent or late, and it was out of your control? The answer is probably yes.

Kids should not be rewarded or penalized for things they can’t control. If you couldn’t be at school, it would be frustrating to lose out on an attendance award. If there has to be a reward, it should be for grades or paying attention in class.

Dhruvan Dayan, 10

Foster City, California

Rewarding perfect attendance is a way to reinforce a great life skill. Kids should get into the habit of showing up every day. It will help them when they’re going to work. A reward system can also make students feel good about themselves. And it can encourage those who usually come in late to arrive on time. More school means more learning. Of course, when a student is absent because of illness, it shouldn’t be counted as an absence. That’s only fair. Coming to school every day and on time is an essential skill. It deserves to be rewarded.

Shreya Jassi, 9

Hicksville, New York

Kids shouldn’t be rewarded for attendance. Kids get sick, especially in cold weather. When I got sick, I wished I’d stayed home. I worried that my friends would get sick because of me.

There are other incentives to strive for perfect attendance. You won’t miss out on fun projects. If you play an instrument, you won’t miss practice. And there are the bad jokes your teacher makes. And having classmates to talk to, and to work and laugh with. These are reward enough. So don’t be sad if you don’t get an award for perfect attendance.

The Next Debate: Should libraries charge late fees? Email your opinion to tfkeditors@time.com by December 8. Your response might be featured in an upcoming issue.

*Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.