Watching the devastation created by Hurricane Harvey on TV is almost surreal. It is not only scary, it’s beyond heartbreaking, seeing and hearing folks talk about losing their homes, their pets, their possessions, even family members! These good people have done nothing to deserve this and it’s so unfair. I am particularly worried about the elderly, the babies, the handicapped, and the disadvantaged who had very little to begin with.

This picture, in particular, really hits home. Try to imagine your car being under water, you’re unable to walk, and you have a little one in your arms.

As the flood waters start to recede, getting help to them will be easier. Most of us outside the hurricane zone who weren’t effected feel a strong desire to help. Texas Monthly has put together a huge list of resources that makes it easy to assist the recovery effort. Think about all of the simple things we take for granted: human food, pet food, diapers, hygiene items, medications, laundry facilities, hot showers, a warm bed…all of those are very much in need!

We can contribute goods, our time, and/or make financial donations, however we’re able. And, most of all, let’s not forget about the power of prayer. Some people claim natural disasters are a punishment from the Lord. That is NOT true! God truly does love and care about each and every one of us and we need to be more caring towards each other, in thought and in deed. Prayer, coupled with action, is the best way to help the hurricane victims.

Advice about Back-to-School shopping, organizing, scheduling, and lunch-making is abundant, but one area that’s frequently overlooked is the plight of divorced and separated parents. Not only is this situation painful, it’s often hectic as well. Here are 10 tips to make it easier:

1. Accept the Situation

Divorce is never easy; in some cases, it’s a literal nightmare, with non-stop fighting, lying, and using the kids as weapons. If your ex—or you!—is doing this, know that it’s hurting the kids most of all. Try to be amicable, if at all possible. If it’s truly impossible, use an intermediary like a counselor or the Court to minimize contact and spell out clearly what’s allowed and expected.

2. Let Go

You don’t have to forgive or forget, but you do have to let things go. Yes, most spouses have a lot of unresolved issues. Guess what: it may never be resolved! Do what you can to move forward and acknowledge that some things may never be quite right, nor will you get that apology you crave.

3. Update the School

Take time before school starts to reach out to the faculty and explain the family situation. (Yes, it’s embarrassing and complicated, so just keep it brief.) Make them aware of the custody arrangement and any behavioral issues your kids may be dealing with. Also, let the child know you’ve talked to the school, in case someone brings it up.

4. Arrange for Duplicate Notifications

Ideally, information would be shared between the parents, but that’s not always happening. It may help to arrange for separate notifications about  school activities, performance, and report cards. This way one parent, usually mom, is not responsible for copying and sending information to the other.

5. Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences Together

A lot of married couples don’t even do this, so if you can’t, don’t beat yourself up. If, by some miracle you can, that’s awesome. Attending parent-teacher conferences as a team shows that both people are concerned about the child’s education and want to be involved.

6. Drop the Kids Off Together

The first day of school can be a scary, overwhelming experience for most kids. If both parents can free up their schedules to be there together, it can be remarkable reassuring. If you can’t be there together, take a photo and send it to your ex. (Yes, it’s tempting to cut them off, but it’s also self-serving and mean in the long run.)

7. Shared Calendar

There are many activities that occur within the school year and it’s hard for everyone to keep up and stay organized. A shared calendar can be a perfect solution, so both parents (and children, if age appropriate) know the schedule and can plan accordingly. Doing it online is the easiest way for all involved.

8. Review and Split Costs

There’s no need for both parents to run out and start buying clothes, shoes, backpacks, etc. Make a detailed list and agree to split it up. To keep it fair, decide on a dollar amount or item amount, meaning each person buys 10 things or each person spends $10.00.

9. Be Consistent

When the children are splitting their time between two homes, it’s important for the rules to be consistent at both places, especially during the school year—bed time, dinner time, shower time, homework. If the kids know you’re both on the same page, they won’t try to pretend otherwise.

10. Minimize interference

New boyfriends/girlfriends, step parents, in-laws, etc. have a way of NOT minding their own business. Decisions about the children should be made by the natural mother and father, period. Other family members may weigh in, but the parents aren’t obligated to follow their advice. Current love interests, including step parents, really need to stay in the background and not cause trouble.

In most cases, a divorced couple can come to an agreement, on their own, that’s fair to everyone involved. If, however, your ex is addicted, abusive, or otherwise dangerous to you and the children, don’t be afraid to seek help.

Did you know September is “Happy Healthy Cat” month? Keeping our cats happy and healthy depends a lot on diet. I’ll be the first to admit my own cat’s diet is not “purr”fect (ok, that was corny, but I couldn’t resist!). Pumpkin is a very big eater. No matter what food I tried or how much I gave him, he never seemed to feel satisfied and he keeps getting bigger and less active every year. Finally, after a lot of searching, I realized he was experiencing one of the three most common cat concerns: picky eating, weight gain, and urinary tract issues.

I learned about the Big 3 by partnering with Weruva. They are a natural pet company dubbed “people food for cats.” They’ve just launched a new line of gluten free, grain free, and carrageenan-free foods. It’s called B.F.F. OMG! (that stands for Best Feline Friend, Oh My Gravy). If your cat has any of these, you might want to consider changing their diet:

Picky: Usually, this problem is due to texture. Cats are carnivores whose tongues and teeth are perfectly evolved for meat-eating. It’s easy to see why a cat might dislike something without real shreds of meat that doesn’t feel right in their mouth.

Overweight: Many lower quality cat foods are filled with unnecessary carbs, which are almost impossible for cats to process (they don’t produce amylase, an enzyme which helps humans digest their food). This was definitely effecting Pumpkin in a negative way!

Urinary Issues: Dehydration is the main cause. Think your cat drinks enough water? You may be surprised. Just having it available 24/7 is no guarantee! In the wild, cats stay hydrated through the food they eat instead of what they drink. Cats are used to “eating” their water—but most wet foods don’t have nearly enough hydration to keep them satisfied.

B.F.F. OMG! cans and pouches feature land proteins like boneless and skinless white chicken breast, salmon, beef, duck, and lamb. And if you are a BPA-free home, check out the pouches because they are BPA-free. Best of all, fur babies will love it. We have to remember that health isn’t just for humans, and it may take some trial and error to learn how to feed our favorite felines. By trying Weruva, I found a high quality product that Pumpkin loves, especially the Chicken & Tuna Dinner in Gravy.

Explore the whole B.F.F. OMG! lineup and find a flavor your cat will adore.

Has your cat experienced any of the Big 3 concerns? 

Steve Bannon, who is quite possibly the worst member of the Trump administration, is leaving the White House! Why is this such exciting news for America? Because Bannon is a racist, a misogynist, a White Nationalist, and an Anti-Semite.

Anyone who cares about our great country should celebrate; it is a triumph over hate. (Mind you, I don’t encourage gloating over individual loss, but he is just so awful!) We simply can not tolerate government officials who want to push an evil agenda that discriminates against and abuses people who have done nothing wrong.

I want to see the President, and everyone who works for him, condemn hate groups in the strongest way possible. That includes those on the Alt-Right AND the Alt-Left. There is nothing American about Nazism, the KKK, Antifa, Communists and other sickos like them.

What we need is peace, tolerance, friendship, love, and unity—no hate, no violence, no fear, and no riots! America is a land of freedom and opportunity for all law-abiding citizens and everyone is welcome to be here, not just a select few.