100% school attendance now will not be..

victory

Person_one wrote: »

That's what they want him to think.

The problem though, as he's finding out now, is that its a goal that is actually completely out of your control in most cases.

You can choose not to truant, or to go in with a cold instead of staying in bed, but you can't choose not to have consultant appointments, or chronic conditions, or broken legs or appendicitis!

True, the school would be very quick to keep him off if he had an illness/ifection that would affect other children no doubt:D

victory

fluffnutter wrote: »

He's clearly a conscientious kids, but seriously? His health and hence this consultant's appt is way more important than a bike he doesn't need. It's nice to win stuff for sure, but it's a great opportunity to talk to him about perspective. Seeing the doc is more important than entering some raffle.

He knows the importance, he can see realistically it is like winning the lottery chances of getting the bike, he knows he has one, he knows he needs to attend the consultant appointment, he is well aware of all the above, he is just a bit sad that his chances of getting the 100% attendance raffle prize have now escaped him that is all:D

tescobabe69

victory wrote: »

It is a shame I will agree with him there, it is just one of those things, anyone got any ideas?

Tell your son you have spoken to the school and he is going into the draw.

victory

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

It is a good attitude to want to be at school 100% of the time.

But I think this whole prize thing is a little unfair as you say above, 100% attendance is totally out of reach for my daughter. She would love to attend everyday but due to numerous medical conditions that is never going to happen.

Like I said they do have lots of other prizes for different things like good conduct, or smartness or politeness etc they either send a postcard home full of praise or he gets a little prize, often book token or a book or some sweets or his name mentioned in assembly:D

victory

tescobabe69 wrote: »

Tell your son you have spoken to the school and he is going into the draw.

No I won't be lying to him:D I did fleetingly think extreme things like that but what would that tell him? he would have earnt the right to be in the draw off his own merit, not for me to buy him the bike and then lie that he won it in the draw, he already knows his 100% has gone . I would not do that.

Person_one

Think of it as good practice for the world of work, most employers don't care that your illness/accident etc. isn't your fault either.

Mado

tescobabe69 wrote: »

Tell your son you have spoken to the school and he is going into the draw.

Whilst I can see this as an easy option to placate the child, I also think that a 12 is old enough to be told that "that's life and it's not always fair".

I think as a compromise I would offer a nice lunch out after/before the appointment with the parent taking him to have some "reward" for his attaitude, if not the prize from school. I know my 12 yo would think that Pizza expres for example would be a treat!

victory

Person_one wrote: »

Think of it as good practice for the world of work, most employers don't care that your illness/accident etc. isn't your fault either.

Very true indeed. From a 12 year old point of view it is more basic than that, as far as he sees it, he is blameless in something he was striving towards and the adults of this world have hampered his chances:D

marleyboy

I must admit to liking the Schools approach to children's attendance. But with NO flexibility does make it a difficult accomplishment, if a child becomes ill and as a result, loses his\her 100%, do they lose the initiative to perform 99%?

My Son will start school next Year, as he is a special needs case, there is a very high probability that he will never achieve 100% attendance, as much as I would encourage him to perform a maximum attendance. As a result he is likely to be automatically excluded from participating for the bike.

I think I will resort to rewarding him myself for his school attendance, if not just to balance it out in fairness.

victory

Mado wrote: »

Whilst I can see this as an easy option to placate the child, I also think that a 12 is old enough to be told that "that's life and it's not always fair".

I think as a compromise I would offer a nice lunch out after/before the appointment with the parent taking him to have some "reward" for his attaitude, if not the prize from school. I know my 12 yo would think that Pizza expres for example would be a treat!

I would not do it, you are right he is old enough to realise that it is not always the way it could be, I have offered him to go and see the avengers a movie he is very keen to see and praised him enormously for all the efforts he put in for his 100%, his school, what a great kid he is etc and not for him to feel so disheartened:D