Giving children prizes for good attendance sets a harmful precedent from an early age.
That's according to Irish Independent writer Chrissie Russell, who believes we should stop encouraging people to turn up for work or school when they are not up to it.
She told Newstalk Breakfast good attendance prizes give children the wrong message about work and wellness.
"I just don't know what it's actually rewarding," she said.
"It's saying, 'Well done: you didn't get sick, or you did get sick but you didn't take time off' or 'Well done, your mam's car didn't break down on the way to work'.
"It just seems a really strange thing to me to dish out a reward for".
'Not a good lesson'
Ms Russell said people should not feel like a failure for taking time off.
"I think that whole idea of 'soldier on, turn up no matter what'- I just don't think it's a good lesson to take into life," she said.
"It's obviously always going to depend on the child, every child is going to react differently.
"I kind of wonder what lesson it takes into life?
"I do think there needs to be a bit more emphasis on, 'You don't just need to keep showing up'.
"If you're sick, that's justified and take the time off [and] get better - don't see it as a failing".
'People who put their job first'
Ms Russell said turning up when you shouldn't is not a good idea.
"I know everyone lost their mind about Lewis Capaldi's performance at Glastonbury, but it made me feel sad," he said.
"There's a guy who knew he needed to take time off, maybe felt he had to turn up because so many people were counting on him and now is really having to taker the time off.
"We need to normalise more people saying, 'No, I can't show up - I need to take this time for myself'.
"You have to wonder what's the cost to the person?
"You look at people who put their job first all the time, end up burnt out and the job cares no more about them," she added.
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