Let me get straight to the point: perfect attendance awards need to go. Research shows that they do far more harm than good. Read to learn why they’re so problematic. Then, check out the awards we SHOULD be giving to kids, instead!
Can We PLEASE Stop Awarding Perfect Attendance?
To demonstrate the problem with perfect attendance awards, let me start with a story. Once upon a time, I knew a boy named Bill. Bill made it all the way to his senior year with a perfect attendance record. Less than a month before graduation, his grandfather passed away. The funeral was on a school day. Bill didn’t go.
Weeks later, he walked away from his high school career with a piece of paper praising his perfect attendance…and a heart full of regret over missing his chance to say goodbye to his “Papa.”
He felt so much pressure to continue his pursuit of perfect attendance that he refused to take a single day off of work, no matter how sick he was. He felt like he owed it to his grandfather. That by choosing an award over Papa’s funeral, he had an obligation to make it really matter.
Bill had a heart attack at age 27. Thankfully, he survived. Needless to say, though, he missed work because of it. Bill took that as a wake-up call. He told me later that he was almost relieved that the universe stepped in and forced him to give up his lifelong pursuit of perfect attendance.
That’s just one example that demonstrates the problems with perfect attendance awards, and it’s not even the biggest issue. These awards stigmatize children with chronic illnesses who literally cannot go to school every day. They encourage kids to go to school sick, which means other kids get sick and miss school. They teach kids that it’s “all or nothing,” and that if you can’t be perfect you shouldn’t even try at all. Last, but not least, ironically, these awards can even lead to MORE absences, both in kids who receive one and those who don’t.
I could go on. If you’re curious, though, just search “perfect attendance awards are damaging our kids.” For now, I want to switch gears and get to the true purpose of this post: the awards we SHOULD be giving to our kids instead.
5 Awards for Kids That Matter Much More Than Perfect Attendance
Before we start, I just want to say one thing. I purposely left off awards related to high grades. Like perfect attendance, I just think there are other things that matter more than straight As. I’m not saying that kids who earn top scores through hard work don’t deserve the awards that they earn. Just that there are other things that are also worthy of recognition, and that these things matter more to ME and MY family.
“Shows Kindness & Empathy Towards Others” Award
A quote (pictured below) from @Maryfairybobrry on Twitter actually inspired me to write this post today. She wrote, “Can we replace the perfect attendance award with kind kids awards already? Coming to school when you’re sick or need a mental break doesn’t deserve applause. Including others, sharing a lunch with someone hungry, and not bullying others absolutely deserves recognition.”
I couldn’t agree more. I will always (always, always, always) prioritize empathy over good grades and perfect attendance. I would be so proud of my kids if they brought home a “Kindness” award! I’d also be proud of myself because it shows that I’m succeeding in my goal to raise kids who grow up to change the world.
“Persevered in the Face of Adversity” Award
If there’s one award that every single student in the entire world deserves right now, it’s this one. Children today face more adversity in the first five minutes of their school day than most of us did throughout our entire school year.
They’re dealing with a pandemic that’s completely changed when, how, and where they learn, and drills that teach them how to survive the unthinkable. They’re facing the greatest mental health crisis in generations, and exceedingly high expectations on top of all of that. The fact that they continue to persevere despite all of this deserves recognition, don’t you think?
“Enthusiastic About Learning” Award
Wouldn’t it be nice if we praised kids for their desire to learn as much as we praise them for how much they learn? I think that would encourage academic success so much better than punishing kids for poor grades, don’t you?
Honestly, grades don’t really even reflect how much our kids actually know. In most cases, they just reflect how well they memorize information. I’m sorry, but memorization and learning are NOT the same things. I would rather my kids show true enthusiasm for learning and bring home a C on the test than just memorize a bunch of random facts that they’ll promptly forget once they bring home the A.
“Outstanding Imagination” Award
I know it’s probably one of the most overused quotes ever, but I truly believe in what Einstein said about imagination being more important than knowledge because knowledge is limited by imagination encircles the world. In other words, imagination is boundless, limitless, and endless.
I believe that children should be praised for using their imaginations, especially in a world where they have fewer and fewer opportunities to do so
“Classroom Cheerleader” Award
We started with a kindness award, so let’s close with something similar. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to recognize the children that go out of their way to make others smile? I’m not talking about so-called “class clown awards,” which have a negative connotation.
I’m talking about kids who go out of their way to spread joy and optimism when they see someone having a rough day. The kids that always have a word of encouragement for kids they see struggling, or a “way to go” when they see others succeed. The kids who, to paraphrase Dolly Parton, see someone without a smile and give them one of theirs.
Bottom line, rather than just focusing on awarding kids for achieving some arbitrary grade, we should give awards that encourage our kids to be good people. I’m not saying that straight-A students don’t deserve awards. I’m not trying to take away someone else’s academic achievement (perfect attendance awards, on the other hand, just flat-out need to go). I’m just saying that there are achievements that matter at least just as much (if not more) than grades, and they deserve recognition, too.
pebby barnette says
this is great idea bless ereryone for doing their best
Margaret abrahams says
Excellent we have noticed our grandaughter age 7 withdraw from giving us hugs and kisses post covid having been told to distance herself i that period. We are going with it until she wants to. Sadly though I have been making her give a brief hug and kiss goodbye and I will have a chat with her and tell her its up to her going forward. I will tell her I love her hugs and kisses but its up to her when she does it and not me.
Cecilia Fonacier says
These creative awards for children are what we must be looking for and developing in children in these crucial times. They have been deprived a lot physically, mentally, socially and emotionally in their development. And I am afraid many have developed certain fears that could deeply affect them.
Thank you for helping parents, teachers and schools!
Tyler says
No need to compare different things or put down someone’s achievement to celebrate another’s achievement. Nothing wrong with honoring both. This is actually a form of bullying. It should just say: Let’s reward nice kids for their kindness period. Although the intentions are good to honor kids for being nice, this ends up being very offensive and cruel by putting down others for what they shine at.
Janna says
Awards for attendance and good grades are to encourage accomplishments. Feel Good awards create an environment of entitlement. One look at the news and the out of control youth is a testament. They are also an insult to those students who choose to work hard verses look for the easy way to just get by.
Glenna Mach says
Academic awards important but humanitarian awards equally so. If our children are to survive their future as human beings they have to be taught how to relate to one another.
Yvette says
We can add mediation everyday
Kate says
I assure you that kids who keep ip with schoolwork from home while battling chronic illness are not “looking for the easy way ro get by.”
Sharon Arbuckle says
Respect one another and their ideas and opinions. Our children need to have the opportunity to be heard. They need to know that they are a very huge part of this universe, if it is going to live long and they need to be responsible for it’s well-being. I believe our young adults are smarter than ever before because they have so much access to worldwide information. Tthey are thinkers and achievers, for the most part. LISTEN to their views and opinions and be respectful when they have something to say. WE must rely now on our younger generation and give them a chance to show us what they can do for our world and us.
Hannah C says
I think many ideas can come from the children themselves and what they think is important. That they are a part of their own education not a didactic curriculum of absorbing and memorising data. Reports when I was at school had a grade of attainment (where a child is compared to an average so the parents can see higher or lower than norm). Just as important (because the kids know where they are at) is the effort. I enjoyed seeing that being consistent and high. Consistent and the grit it takes to keep at the learning process. Mistakes are the things where the most learning can occur. Maybe a subject isn’t someone’s best, but they try and don’t give up.
In the working world it is a lot about “getting along with others”, being part of a certain business culture, skills can be taught or learned. The emphasis now is on social and soft skills, and the mayurity of an individual. The factors including emotionally intelligence much more than the intellectually quotient. Interviews for quality and intense careers take 3, or even 5 rounds to see the prospect in many scenarios.
So start early yes, and seek kindness and acceptance, some needed expectation and motivation however in the end it is the whole person that people will befriend and enjoy working with and spend time with.
Good luck. We need to recognise all individuals and give credit where it is due. Can only have one Wayne Gretski, Shaq, Prime Minster per term, Elon Musk or Einstein. And they all have some very unique ways of succeeding.. 💗💗
Amy L says
These types of awards have been around for 20+ years. They are not new. In my opinion, we need to stop awarding children for every little thing they do. It is setting them up for unrealistic expectations of adulthood. There are no jobs that hand out awards on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. We need to teach kindness, respect, and reliability. Perfect attendance may not be needed, but people will need to show up regularly for a job. I have students who miss over 40 days per year. That’s plural: students. Thus is unacceptable, yet it happens regularly with five or more students per year. Parents end up in court for truancy because these are not children suffering with illnesses. Maybe there should be awards for parents who parent their children instead of allowing them to make decisions they are not mature enough to make.