The Daniels were an ordinary family in a modest three-bedroom flat in the suburbs. No house help. Two used cars. A father who worked in IT, and a mother, Sanah, who is a secondary school teacher. Not poor. Not rich. Just comfortable.
They had three children
Favour (15), Dara (12), and the last born Mikel (7). Sanah didn't believe in outsourcing parenting. "Raising children," she often said, "is not about money. It's about being present and intentional."
Every moment in that house was a lesson.
On Saturday mornings, while cleaning together, she taught more than just chores.
"Dara, when you clean, don't just move things around. Clean like the next person using this space is more important than you, that is how to clean properly."
(Respect).
When Favour once rolled her eyes after being corrected, Sanah didn't raise her voice.
She sat her down that evening.
"In this house, you don't have to agree with me on any thing. But you must never dishonour me.
Because how you speak to me will one day be how you speak to your boss, your partner, or your future children."
You will say "thank you" even when you are angry.
You will clean up what you mess up,
Physically and emotionally.
You will speak truth, even if you voice shakes
(Discipline).
When Mikel asked why he couldn't have a phone yet, she explained, and not barked.
"Phones are not toys. They give you access to the world. And until you learn to manage your time, your words, and your emotions, I will not hand you the world to play with."
(Boundaries).
Sanah cooked, yes. But on school nights, the older kids cooked too. Boys and girls alike. Not because she was tired, but because everyone must contribute to the family, and no one was too young to learn.
When friends came over, and her children tried to show off, she would say quietly,
"Be kind before you impress. It lasts longer."
(Character).
She corrected them privately and praised them honestly. She didn't compare them to other kids or pressure them with grades. But they knew: laziness was unacceptable, and excuses had a short lifespan.
And when they failed? She didn't rescue them. She made them reflect, write down what they'd do differently, and try again.
By 16, Favour was tutoring juniors. Dara was cooking dinner once a week. Mikel already knows how to pack his bag the night before and iron his uniform.
People often asked her how she was "so lucky" with her children.
Sanah would smile and say:
"It's not luck. It's work. And it's not about being perfect it's about being deliberate."