No matter how little the money, strength, connections or other resources parents and guardians invest in the education and upbringing of their wards, every effort deserves proper follow-up. Providing for a child financially is important, but it is not enough. Parents must also pay attention to how those resources are being used and, more importantly, whether the child is truly benefiting from them.
The advice was given by security expert and public safety advocate, Moruf Yusuf, popularly known as Ojogbon, in Series #144 of The Secure Mind, titled “Police Your Efforts on Your Wards If You Truly Want Better Results.”
Yusuf stressed that responsible and ethical children are not produced by financial investment alone. They are shaped through commitment, guidance, discipline, supervision, correction, encouragement and consistent parental involvement.
According to him, every effort made towards a child's education and development should be accompanied by appropriate follow-up. Parents should not simply provide school fees, learning materials, accommodation, feeding, clothing, technology and other necessities and then assume that their responsibility has ended.
The real question, he said, should be whether the investment is producing the desired results.
A parent may pay expensive school fees and provide a child with every educational opportunity available, yet the child may still struggle with discipline, attitude, academic commitment, relationships or decision-making if there is little parental supervision.
Yusuf therefore encouraged parents and guardians to “police” their efforts by paying attention to the outcome of what they invest in their wards.
The use of the word “police,” he explained, should be understood in the context of vigilance, monitoring and responsible follow-up. It does not mean unnecessarily controlling every aspect of a child's life or invading their privacy. Rather, it means remaining sufficiently involved to know what is happening in the child's life and to respond appropriately when concerns arise.
He advised parents to look beyond academic performance and pay attention to the overall development of their wards.
Parents should take an interest in their children's behaviour, friendships, communication patterns, emotional wellbeing, use of technology, attitude towards authority and general lifestyle.
A child may be performing well academically while developing unhealthy habits or maintaining relationships that could negatively influence their future. Without adequate parental involvement, such issues may remain unnoticed until they become difficult to correct.
Yusuf noted that this responsibility is particularly important for busy parents whose professional, business, religious or social commitments may keep them away from home for extended periods.
Professionals, business owners, religious clerics and other parents with demanding schedules should not allow the pressure of their responsibilities to create a complete gap between them and their wards.
He acknowledged that financial provision is necessary and that parents work hard to give their children better opportunities. However, he stressed that money cannot replace parental presence, communication and guidance.
A parent may provide a child with a smartphone, but should still be interested in how the device is being used. A parent may pay for quality education, but should still understand the child's attitude towards learning. A parent may provide transportation and other conveniences, but should still know where the child goes, who they associate with and what influences their decisions.
According to Yusuf, resources should serve as instruments for putting children on the right path rather than substitutes for parental supervision.
He further encouraged parents to establish regular communication with their wards and create an environment where children feel comfortable discussing their experiences, challenges and concerns.
Effective communication, he noted, makes it easier for parents to identify changes in behaviour early and intervene before minor issues develop into serious problems.
Parents should also follow up on instructions given to their children. It is not enough to tell a child what to do once and assume that the lesson has been understood and adopted.
Children are still developing and may require repeated guidance, correction and encouragement before positive behaviour becomes a lasting habit.
Yusuf also stressed the importance of recognising and reinforcing good behaviour. Monitoring should not be limited to looking for mistakes or punishing wrongdoing. Parents should equally acknowledge improvement, responsibility, honesty, discipline and positive choices.
Such balanced parenting can help children understand that parental involvement is not simply about punishment but about helping them become better individuals.
A security-conscious parent should also be alert to warning signs. Sudden changes in behaviour, unexplained associations, declining academic commitment, unusual secrecy, repeated disregard for instructions or significant changes in a child's routine may require careful attention.
Parents should respond to such signs with wisdom rather than immediately resorting to harsh judgment.
The objective, Yusuf said, should be early identification, proper intervention and constructive guidance.
He urged parents to remember that children are exposed to numerous influences beyond the home, including friends, social media, entertainment, school environments and wider society. These influences can shape their attitudes and choices, making parental involvement increasingly important.
He maintained that the goal of monitoring should not be to suffocate a child's independence but to provide the guidance necessary for responsible independence.
As children grow older, parents should gradually teach them how to make sound decisions while remaining available to provide counsel when necessary.
Yusuf also advised parents and guardians to examine the results of their own parenting efforts.
If a child repeatedly demonstrates a particular negative behaviour, parents should ask themselves whether they have provided sufficient guidance, whether their instructions are clear and whether they are modelling the values they expect from their wards.
Children often learn from what they see at home. Consequently, parents who want disciplined, responsible and ethical children must also demonstrate discipline, responsibility and integrity in their own lives.
The security expert noted that the upbringing of a child is a long-term investment. Like every meaningful investment, it requires attention, monitoring and evaluation.
Parents should therefore not measure their investment solely by how much money they have spent. They should also measure it by the values their children are developing, the decisions they make, the company they keep and the way they conduct themselves.
Financial investment without proper guidance may provide opportunities without providing the character required to use those opportunities responsibly.
Yusuf therefore urged parents to combine provision with presence, resources with supervision, education with character formation and instruction with consistent follow-up.
He stressed that every parent and guardian should take the responsibility of raising children seriously because the consequences of inadequate supervision may extend beyond the individual child to the wider society.
When parents remain actively involved in the lives of their wards, they are better positioned to identify problems early, encourage positive development and provide timely correction.
The Secure Mind series continues to emphasise the importance of preventive thinking and responsible parenting as essential components of personal and community security.
Yusuf reminded parents that paying for a child's education is only one part of the responsibility. The greater responsibility is ensuring that the child receives the guidance, discipline and support required to make meaningful use of the opportunities provided.
Quote:
“Police every dime committed to your wards’ tutelage, because spending alone does not make a good child.”
Just be good. Reflect. Stay alert.
Moruf Yusuf (Ojogbon)
ANIPR, MISN, FCAI, FIIM, MSPSP
📧 maarufism@gmail.com | thesecuremind2026@gmail.com
📞 +2348035479930 | +2348028286064
📲 WhatsApp Channel: “Join The Secure Mind WhatsApp Channel”
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb854D647XeAjSBRSw40?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Friday, 4th September, 2026
Post a Comment