In Nigeria, being a parent often means wearing many hats: provider, teacher, peacekeeper, and sometimes, magician. Every year, September comes knocking, and with it, the familiar weight of school fees, textbooks, and those “small” extra charges that somehow add up to a mountain.

For years, many of us have responded the same way: hustle harder, borrow quickly, pray louder, and hope we make it through. We’ve come to accept the stress as part of parenting. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way?

Today, we are sharing the story of Mr. Tunde, a school teacher in Lagos, and father to two children. Tunde isn’t rich. He doesn’t have side gigs or family money. But this year, something was different. For the first time in years, he didn’t panic when school reopened.

This is a story about a father who decided that instead of dreading September, he’d prepare for it, not with miracles, but with a simple plan.

It’s a glimpse into what smart parenting looks like in real Nigerian homes: not flashy, not perfect, but steady, intentional, and full of hope. 

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My name is Tunde, a father of two kids, and a secondary school teacher.

Every year, September used to be financially overwhelming for me. One minute, I’m enjoying the holidays with my family. The next? My wife is showing me the school bill, and I’m running mental calculations.

It wasn’t just stressful, it was embarrassing. I’m a teacher. I educate others, yet I couldn’t seem to get ahead with my own family’s school fees.

A Small Decision, A Big Change

Then in April this year, something changed. I was talking with my friend Chidi, and he seemed remarkably calm about the upcoming school year. I asked him, “Chidi, what’s your secret? How do you do it?” He smiled. He explained that instead of just saving money, he was investing it, so it was actually earning interest and growing.

I was a bit skeptical at first. I’m not a finance expert, and the idea of investing sounded complicated. But Chidi made it sound simple and stress-free. He showed me how he sets aside money every month.

Fast forward to this September. The back-to-school expenses arrived: school fees, textbooks, PTA levy, and the usual “development levy.” But this time, it was different; I didn’t break into a sweat. I didn’t call my brother. I remembered my Bravewood Child Plan. I checked my balance, and what I saw made me smile. The money I had been putting in had grown. It was enough to cover the school fees and all the other back-to-school expenses without me having to touch my regular salary.

For the first time in years, I wasn’t running around, sweating, or panicking. I paid the fees with confidence. My kids got everything they needed, and I didn’t feel the usual financial pressure. 

Final thought

Being a smart parent doesn’t mean you have all the answers or all the money. 

Smart parenting isn’t about how much you earn. It’s about how well you plan.

It means you start, even small. It means you stop waiting for miracles and start making plans.

For me, that plan started in April.

And this September, it finally paid off; in peace, in pride, and in progress.

Bravewood provides Nigerian professionals with low-risk, high-return investment products, licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.