I never really expected to struggle with the concept of “good attendance” when I became a parent, but as my child gets deeper into the school system, I find myself doing just that. The entire practice and reward systems often associated with school are frustrating to me.
What are we really teaching our kids who achieve “perfect” attendance? That they can’t ever be sick? That they don’t deserve rest?
At the same time, when my son has gotten on sick streaks, I found myself stressing for every reason under the sun.
Will it be bad if he misses this many days? How can I care for him while still working?
And then, of course, you’re left worrying about making the right choice about when to send them back. But for all my fretting, there are dozens of parents who don’t bat an eyelash. They’ll keep their kids home for as many sick days as needed and tack on vacation days if they want to as well.
I think there is room to live somewhere in the middle of all of it, but the subject of attendance took a center stage focus when one of Britain’s biggest reality TV families recently sparked some discussion.
Noel and Sue Radford, parents of the 22 Kids and Counting family, were found guilty of failing to ensure regular attendance for four of their kids between March 24 and May 1, right around the time the family went on a lavish Walt Disney World vacation. They were fined about $84 per child and were charged roughly $155 in court costs, costing them a bit over $1,000, according to People.
For the Radfords, these fees were evidently a hard pill to swallow. “We work hard but we’re not millionaires!” Sue Radford said after revealing that she spends about $500 a week on food at the budget grocery store chain Aldi, per The Sun.
“The nastiness is upsetting though. We just want to be able to give our children the best possible life.”
The fines are a new initiative brought on by the UK’s Department of Education and are enforced for parents who habitually take their kids out of school.
“There are only a few occasions where a child is allowed to miss school, such as illness or where the school has given permission because of an exceptional circumstance,” the department said in an official statement. “However, if your child misses school without a good reason, local councils and schools can intervene and you may be issued a fine.”
The Disney trip was for Sue Radford’s 50th birthday on March 22, 2025. She and husband Noel covered the cost for almost all of their own children plus their 11 grandkids, with the exception of their daughter Chloe, who stayed behind as she was due to deliver her second child, according to LancsLive.
The couple has not issued an official statement about the ruling thus far.
