Moms of school-age children often lament that their children have been holding their bladders all day at home because they didn’t want to use the school restroom.

Some parents even report that their children were forbidden from using the restroom because the instructor had grown weary of their requests for toilet breaks. However, a recent widely shared tweet on Twitter elevates this worry to a whole new level and has parents worldwide discussing.

A mother said that the instructor of her daughter’s class has implemented a somewhat unnerving rule: pupils are awarded one “bathroom pass” each week; if they use it, they get additional credit and recognition. This mother is troubled—and rightfully so—by the thought of paying her children for not using the toilet.

We know as adults how harmful it is to hold onto pee for prolonged periods of time. However, the potential long-term effects on kids are far more worrisome. A child’s physical health may be in danger if they absorb the belief that visiting the restroom is something to be avoided as they grow older and develop harmful habits.

Although this guideline may sound harsh, it reminds us of how many of us were treated when we were children about restroom breaks. Everybody has been there. We sat there in class, afraid to raise our hands for fear of the teacher’s disapproving glance. who spoke the words, “Really? All you want is to leave the classroom.” There was always the presumption that pupils who asked to use the restroom were only looking to pass the time or get out of an uninteresting course.

Let’s be honest, however. No child should ever feel under pressure to hold anything in order to get good grades. Rather than ignoring their bodies, we need to educate kids to pay attention to them. Healthy behaviors should always take precedence over arbitrary regulations that could do more damage than good.

This Twitter tweet is still generating controversy, but it’s a good reminder for educators and parents alike that rules that affect a child’s health and wellbeing should be well thought out. A child’s bodily requirements should never be sacrificed for a reward, and they should never be made to feel bad for stopping to use the restroom.

Parents, all we really want is to know that our children are treated with the same respect for their little bodies at home that they get from their teachers at school.