Security expert and public safety advocate, Moruf Kolawole Yusuf, popularly known as Ojogbon, has advised parents and guardians to carefully consider the safety of their children before sending them to spend school holidays with relatives, family friends or other people outside their homes.
Yusuf gave the advice in Series 88 of The Secure Mind, his daily security awareness series designed to provide practical safety tips and encourage Nigerians to develop a more security-conscious way of thinking.
In the latest edition titled, “Sending Wards on Holiday Outside the Home Requires Careful Consideration,” the security expert warned that while school holidays can provide children with valuable opportunities to rest, learn new skills, experience a different environment and spend time with loved ones, such visits should never be arranged without proper checks.
According to him, parents must go beyond simply knowing the name of the person their child will be staying with. They should understand the living arrangements, the level of supervision available, the people who regularly visit or live in the home and the kind of activities their children will be involved in throughout the visit.
Yusuf observed that some children are sent to unfamiliar homes without parents having enough information about the people around them or the conditions they may face.
He explained that although many relatives and family friends may have good intentions, poor supervision and unsafe environments can expose children to abuse, neglect, exploitation, harmful influences and other dangers.
The security expert stressed that parents should not assume that a child is automatically safe simply because he or she is staying with a relative or someone known to the family.
He advised parents and guardians to maintain regular communication with their children throughout the holiday period and pay attention to changes in their behaviour, tone of voice or willingness to communicate.
According to him, children should also be taught how to recognise situations that make them uncomfortable and encouraged to report anything unusual without fear of being blamed, punished or ignored.
Yusuf stressed that creating open communication between parents and children is an important part of personal security, as children are more likely to speak about uncomfortable experiences when they know they will be listened to and taken seriously.
He further advised parents to know their children's daily activities while away from home, including where they go, the people they interact with and who is responsible for their care at different times of the day.
The security expert maintained that convenience, family pressure and social expectations should never be placed above the safety and well-being of a child.
“A child's safety should always come before convenience or social expectations,” Yusuf said.
He urged parents to make careful planning and vigilance a normal part of decisions involving their children, especially during holiday periods when children may spend longer periods away from their usual routines and immediate family supervision.
The Secure Mind is a daily public safety awareness initiative by Moruf Kolawole Yusuf, also known as Ojogbon. Through the series, he shares practical security tips aimed at helping individuals, families and communities become more observant, security-conscious and prepared for everyday risks.
Yusuf, whose professional affiliations and qualifications include ANIPR, MISN, FCAI, FIIM and MSPSP, uses the initiative to promote personal responsibility, vigilance and preventive thinking as important tools for improving public safety.
His message to the public remains simple: “Just be good. Reflect. Stay alert.”
Moruf Kolawole Yusuf can be reached via email at maarufism@gmail.com and thesecuremind2026@gmail.com, or by telephone on +2348035479930 and +2348028286064.
Members of the public can also follow The Secure Mind through its WhatsApp Channel for daily security tips and safety awareness updates.
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