diff --git a/.editorconfig b/.editorconfig
index 05ecee8..43ca161 100644
--- a/.editorconfig
+++ b/.editorconfig
@@ -169,4 +169,7 @@ dotnet_naming_style.static_field_style.capitalization = pascal_case
 dotnet_diagnostic.CS4014.severity = error
 
 # IDE0051: Remove unused private members
-dotnet_diagnostic.IDE0051.severity = warning
\ No newline at end of file
+dotnet_diagnostic.IDE0051.severity = warning
+
+# CS1591: Missing XML comment for publicly visible type or member
+dotnet_diagnostic.CS1591.severity = none
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControl.cs b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControl.cs
index e62f809..06c68eb 100644
--- a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControl.cs
+++ b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControl.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public SegmentedControl()
 
         public event EventHandler<SelectedIndexChangedEventArgs> SelectedIndexChanged;
 
-        public static readonly BindableProperty ChildrenProperty = BindableProperty.Create(
+        private static readonly BindableProperty ChildrenProperty = BindableProperty.Create(
             nameof(Children),
             typeof(IList<SegmentedControlOption>),
             typeof(SegmentedControl),
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public SegmentedControl()
         public IList<SegmentedControlOption> Children
         {
             get => (IList<SegmentedControlOption>)this.GetValue(ChildrenProperty);
-            set => this.SetValue(ChildrenProperty, value);
+            private set => this.SetValue(ChildrenProperty, value);
         }
 
         private static void OnChildrenPropertyChanging(BindableObject bindable, object oldValue, object newValue)
@@ -67,42 +67,58 @@ public IEnumerable ItemsSource
 
         private void OnItemsSourcePropertyChanged()
         {
-            var itemsSource = this.ItemsSource;
-            var items = itemsSource as IList;
-            if (items == null && itemsSource is IEnumerable list)
+            List<SegmentedControlOption> segmentedControlOptions;
+
+            if (this.ItemsSource is IEnumerable<SegmentedControlOption> s)
             {
-                items = list.Cast<object>().ToList();
+                segmentedControlOptions = s.ToList();
             }
-
-            if (items != null)
+            else
             {
-                var textValues = items as IEnumerable<string>;
-                if (textValues == null && items.Count > 0 && items[0] is string)
-                {
-                    textValues = items.Cast<string>();
-                }
+                var itemsSource = this.ItemsSource;
+                var items = itemsSource as IList;
 
-                if (textValues != null)
+                if (items == null && itemsSource is IEnumerable enumerable)
                 {
-                    this.Children = new List<SegmentedControlOption>(textValues.Select(child => new SegmentedControlOption { Text = child }));
-                    this.OnSelectedItemPropertyChanged(true);
+                    items = enumerable.Cast<object>().ToList();
                 }
-                else
+
+                if (items != null)
                 {
-                    var textPropertyName = this.TextPropertyName;
-                    if (textPropertyName != null)
+                    var textValues = items as IEnumerable<string>;
+                    if (textValues == null && items.Count > 0 && items[0] is string)
+                    {
+                        textValues = items.Cast<string>();
+                    }
+
+                    if (textValues != null)
+                    {
+                        segmentedControlOptions = textValues
+                            .Select(t => new SegmentedControlOption { Text = t })
+                            .ToList();
+                    }
+                    else
                     {
-                        var newChildren = new List<SegmentedControlOption>();
+                        segmentedControlOptions = new List<SegmentedControlOption>();
+                        var textPropertyName = this.TextPropertyName;
                         foreach (var item in items)
                         {
-                            newChildren.Add(new SegmentedControlOption { Item = item, TextPropertyName = textPropertyName });
+                            segmentedControlOptions.Add(new SegmentedControlOption
+                            {
+                                Item = item,
+                                TextPropertyName = textPropertyName
+                            });
                         }
-
-                        this.Children = newChildren;
-                        this.OnSelectedItemPropertyChanged(true);
                     }
                 }
+                else
+                {
+                    segmentedControlOptions = new List<SegmentedControlOption>();
+                }
             }
+
+            this.Children = segmentedControlOptions;
+            this.OnSelectedItemPropertyChanged(true);
         }
 
         protected override void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName = null)
diff --git a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControlOption.cs b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControlOption.cs
index f6f9967..87b98da 100644
--- a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControlOption.cs
+++ b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Controls/SegmentedControlOption.cs
@@ -74,10 +74,25 @@ private void OnItemPropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
 
         private void SetTextFromItemProperty()
         {
-            if (this.Item != null && this.TextPropertyName != null)
+            if (this.Item is object item)
             {
-                var propertyInfo = this.Item.GetType().GetProperty(this.TextPropertyName);
-                this.Text = propertyInfo?.GetValue(this.Item)?.ToString();
+                if (this.TextPropertyName is string textPropertyName && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(textPropertyName))
+                {
+                    var itemType = item.GetType();
+                    var propertyInfo = itemType.GetProperty(textPropertyName);
+                    if (propertyInfo == null)
+                    {
+                        throw new ArgumentException($"Property '{textPropertyName}' could not be found on object of type {itemType.FullName}", nameof(this.TextPropertyName));
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        this.Text = propertyInfo.GetValue(item)?.ToString();
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    this.Text = item.ToString();
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.csproj b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.csproj
index 82a62f5..1273fb2 100644
--- a/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.csproj
+++ b/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.csproj
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@
     <RepositoryUrl>https://github.com/thomasgalliker/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui</RepositoryUrl>
     <Company>superdev GmbH</Company>
     <GeneratePackageOnBuild>false</GeneratePackageOnBuild>
-    <PackageReleaseNotes>1.1
+    <PackageReleaseNotes>1.2
+- Children property is no longer public; use ItemsSource instead
+- Improved error handling in SegmentedControlOption
+- Several bug fixes and internal refactorings
+
+1.1
 - Add new properties FontFamily, FontSize, FontAttributes
 
 1.0
diff --git a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/SegmentedControlDemoApp.csproj b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/SegmentedControlDemoApp.csproj
index d239e93..657da18 100644
--- a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/SegmentedControlDemoApp.csproj
+++ b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/SegmentedControlDemoApp.csproj
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 		<MauiVersion>8.0.70</MauiVersion>
 		<SingleProject>true</SingleProject>
 		<ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
-		<Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+		<Nullable>disable</Nullable>
 
 		<!-- Display name -->
 		<ApplicationTitle>SegmentedControlDemoApp</ApplicationTitle>
diff --git a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test1Page.xaml b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test1Page.xaml
index c7d9216..5bc5909 100644
--- a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test1Page.xaml
+++ b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test1Page.xaml
@@ -14,7 +14,31 @@
             Spacing="20"
             VerticalOptions="Start">
 
-            <Label Text="Example with segment options defined in XAML. All style properties are left with default values. WidthRequest=160." />
+            <Label Text="Example with an embedded string array as segment options defined in XAML.&#10;All style properties are left with default values." />
+
+            <s:SegmentedControl>
+                <s:SegmentedControl.ItemsSource>
+                    <x:Array Type="{x:Type x:String}">
+                        <x:String>Tab 1</x:String>
+                        <x:String>Tab 2</x:String>
+                        <x:String>Tab 3</x:String>
+                    </x:Array>
+                </s:SegmentedControl.ItemsSource>
+            </s:SegmentedControl>
+
+            <Label Text="Example with an array of SegmentedControlOptions set as ItemsSource." />
+
+            <s:SegmentedControl>
+                <s:SegmentedControl.ItemsSource>
+                    <x:Array Type="{x:Type s:SegmentedControlOption}">
+                        <s:SegmentedControlOption Text="Tab1" />
+                        <s:SegmentedControlOption Text="Tab2" />
+                        <s:SegmentedControlOption Text="Tab3" />
+                    </x:Array>
+                </s:SegmentedControl.ItemsSource>
+            </s:SegmentedControl>
+
+            <Label Text="Example with SegmentedControlOptions defined in XAML. Events subscribed in code-behind.&#10;No styles applied. WidthRequest=160." />
 
             <s:SegmentedControl
                 x:Name="SegmentedControl"
diff --git a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test3Page.xaml b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test3Page.xaml
index 21d72fd..86bc51b 100644
--- a/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test3Page.xaml
+++ b/Samples/SegmentedControlDemoApp/Views/Test3Page.xaml
@@ -14,13 +14,20 @@
             Spacing="20"
             VerticalOptions="Start">
 
-            <Label Text="Example with data binding complex item view models to ItemsSource and SegmentedItem" />
+            <Label Text="Example with data binding complex item view models to ItemsSource and SelectedItem" />
 
             <s:SegmentedControl
                 ItemsSource="{Binding Countries}"
                 SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedCountry, Mode=TwoWay}"
                 TextPropertyName="EnglishName" />
 
+            <Label Text="Example with data binding complex item view models but leaving the TextPropertyName empty." />
+
+            <s:SegmentedControl
+                ItemsSource="{Binding Countries}"
+                SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedCountry, Mode=TwoWay}"
+                TextPropertyName="{x:Null}" />
+
             <Grid BackgroundColor="{StaticResource Gray100}">
                 <Label Text="{Binding SelectedCountry.OfficialName, StringFormat='{}SelectedCountry: {0}'}" />
             </Grid>
diff --git a/Tests/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.Tests/SegmentedControlTests.cs b/Tests/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.Tests/SegmentedControlTests.cs
index bf1b977..2d710bd 100644
--- a/Tests/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.Tests/SegmentedControlTests.cs
+++ b/Tests/Plugin.SegmentedControl.Maui.Tests/SegmentedControlTests.cs
@@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ public void ShouldRaiseSegmentSelectedEvent()
 
         private static SegmentedControl CreateSegmentedControl()
         {
-            // Arrange
-            return new SegmentedControl
+            var segmentedControl = new SegmentedControl
             {
-                Children = new[]
+                ItemsSource = new[]
                 {
                     new SegmentedControlOption { Text = "Tab 1" },
                     new SegmentedControlOption { Text = "Tab 2" },
                     new SegmentedControlOption { Text = "Tab 3" },
                 },
             };
+            return segmentedControl;
         }
     }
 }