Okay we can start this off with you yelling at me "nerd alert." I'm 38 now, and have basically had perfect attendance since I was 13. I had perfect attendance in middle school, high school, and college. Technically there was one class in college I did leave early with permission from my professor. It was the day of a Patriots Super Bowl parade, and an aspiring model wanted me to go with her. I declined in front of the class. My professor lovingly yelled at me and said "Steve Allan, this is a radio course, one of the few courses where you usually do know the answers already. I will take attendance, mark you as present, then I insist please leave and go to the parade!" It was a great life lesson that we need to enjoy the small things and moments in life, an even stronger lesson than ones I would have learned in the classroom that day.
Rachel Wright in the U.K. isn't allowing her son to accept an award for his perfect attendance. She says that they shouldn't celebrate something that has so much to do with the luck of having good health. Wright also doesn't want people to feel inferior when they're sick and can't make it in for school or work. I totally understand what she's saying, but it does still take some drive and dedication to achieve perfect attendance. I'm grateful to have been blessed with great health that helped me get perfect attendance. While luck is the ultimate factor, I feel that she's overlooking the dedication and persistence this takes.
You can see her whole post by clicking here.