BANANA SPLIT KIDS
A young man steps to the counter and orders a banana split made with chocolate ice cream, orange sherbet and strawberry ice cream. The next man in line orders a banana split as well, but he selects vanilla, strawberry and peach ice cream. A third man, watching the previous orders being made, thought a banana split sounded delicious so he ordered the same thing using three scoops of vanilla ice cream. Three different people have three different tastes.
At Tipton Home the children come in many flavors. They are alike and yet they are different. They come to Tipton Home for various reasons. They may have made some bad choices, or it may be they have been in a bad situation and unable to live at home. For whatever reason, they have one thing in common, they have a willingness to come and live at Tipton Home and make a change in their lives. They cannot be forced to change; they must want to initiate the change themselves. They are asking for help and need love and attention. The children talk, they listen, and they win the hearts of those with whom they come in contact.
Just as the banana for the banana split has been cut open, so have the lives of the Tipton Home young people been split apart. They have been exposed to elements and situations in their lives that have affected them in a negative manner.
Residents in the Tipton Home presently range in age from five to eighteen years old. They are as different as the combination of flavors in a banana split; therefore, they combine their different attributes to form their own banana split. Their physical appearances are different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some have blond hair, and some have brown hair. Some relate stories about not attending school regularly, sneaking out at night, not being able to see their parent, or being involved in activities that make them uncomfortable. Children learn what they live.
The children at Tipton Home bring with them their own beliefs and convictions. As
the toppings on a banana split enhance the flavors of the ice cream, so do the children’s beliefs and ideals enhance their individual personalities. Some are 
extroverted, while others are introverted. Some are leaders, others followers. Understandably, the children find people who complement their personality, and they form a lasting friendship. Their flavors mix and they learn the value of an open mind. Tipton Home personnel add to their toppings by giving the children love and attention, while teaching them the morals necessary to lead a productive life and become a Christian young man or woman.
In each cottage there are up to eight children of different flavors. Children living at Tipton Home bring life to the cottages in which they live. During vacations, the children are gone and the campus is dead. The ice cream has melted. The struggles of constant attention, the late night talks, and the never ending listening, which the children need, are forgotten when the children come home again. Everyone gets a hug. The HUG . . . the cherry on top.
The mission at Tipton Home is to help as many families as possible. We accept children as early as age five. The parents maintain all legal rights of the child, and Tipton Home will keep in contact with families to assure them of the care given to their children. Please call the Tipton Home office and let us know if we can be of service to you or someone you know. I ask also that you keep us in your prayers that God will strengthen us to do His will continually.
Written by Susie Boyd
Susie Boyd serves as the Director of Social Services for Tipton Home.
“Founded in 1924, The Tipton Home [located in Tipton, Oklahoma] has a long and a proud history of raising children in a loving, caring, and Christian environment. We have been taking care of children for some 88 years, and in the future we plan to improve on the services that we can provide.
The purpose of The Tipton Home is to provide a loving, Christian atmosphere where children can grow physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Children who come to live at The Tipton Home are looking for friendship, warmth, love, and a place to call home.
A family setting is provided at The Tipton Home. Our children reside in a comfortable, loving, family type atmosphere with Christian house parents. These house parents strive to meet children’s needs and provide a loving home.
The Tipton Home is, and always has been, under the direction of the elders of the Tipton Church of Christ. These men are an influence and encouragement to the children and staff. ”
Retrieved from:http://www.tiptonhome.com/
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Thanks for sharing. I like your analogy to the different selection of ice cream for a banana split. I will be praying for the staff and children there.
God bless all that you do for these precious children.