Parents and guardians have been urged to prioritise the emotional well-being of their children alongside their physical needs, as neglect in this area could leave lasting scars on young lives.
This call was made in Ibadan at the weekend by the founder and Counselling Psychologist of Sure Hope Academy (College of Marriage and Mental Health Affairs), Tosin Togun, during the Teenage Awareness Conference and the maiden Parents-in-Conference hosted by the Academy.
The three-day programme, which ran from September 11 to 13, 2025, drew more than 200 teenagers and scores of parents for intensive engagement on mental health, family stability, and child protection.
The teenage sessions, held on September 11 and 12 at the Academy premises on Poly–Eleyele Road, were tailored to empower adolescents aged 8 to 19, covering issues such as self-discovery, boosting self-esteem, rape prevention, sexuality management, peer pressure, decision-making, and effective study strategies.
According to Togun, the sessions were designed not only to educate but also to equip young people with resilience and early warning skills against abuse.
The climax came on Saturday, September 13, with the Parents-in-Conference at the J&C Event Centre, beside Justrite Mall, Idi-Ito Bus Stop, Ibadan.
In her address, Togun highlighted the urgent need for parents to become emotionally supportive figures in their children’s lives.
“We can no longer raise children by focusing only on their physical needs while ignoring their emotional well-being. A child who lacks emotional support will grow up broken, no matter the material comfort provided,” she warned.
Delivering her lecture on the emotional development of children, she explained that trauma is not always linked to obvious tragedies like rape or death but can also result from the absence of attention, affection, acceptance, and appreciation in a child’s life.
“When parents are not emotionally stable, they risk breaking their children emotionally. That is why awareness, empathy, and forgiveness must be at the heart of parenting,” she added.
In another session on “Making Your Marriage Work,” Togun reminded parents that stability at home plays a direct role in children’s emotional growth. She noted that marriage requires deliberate effort, forgiveness, openness, and communication.
“Marriage must be worked on daily. There has to be a hierarchy in homes, but there must also be openness and communication for stability,” she said.
A major highlight of the conference was the launch of her new book, Sex Education for Age 0–12. Reviewing the work, she said the book was written to close a dangerous gap in early childhood development and protect children from predators.
“Children between ages zero and twelve are the most vulnerable to abuse because they do not know their rights. This book ensures there is no hiding place for pedophiles. We must begin sex education early so children can understand their rights and protect themselves,” she stressed.
She further revealed that the book would be distributed across all primary schools in Oyo State as part of her campaign for child safety.
Present at the event were children, teenagers, parents, and guardians from different backgrounds and walks of life.
