In tug of war, opposing player or teams will pull on a rope until one of the teams or players succeeds at pulling the majority of the rope over to one side. To get started, all you need to do is take your rope and lay it out in a straight line on the ground. There should be a flag or marker in the center of the rope. If not, then place one in the center of your rope before you start the game. You can play tug of war in teams or as a one-on-one game. If you are going to have a team game, then make sure that you have an equal number of players on either side of the rope. If you are playing with just two people, then stand at opposite ends of the rope. Have all of the players pick up the rope and grip it tightly with both hands. Do this before you start the game so that everyone has a chance to get a good grip on the rope. Never anchor the rope around your waist or coil it around other parts of your body. This can result in severe rope burn, dislocations, or rope breaks that can snap and inflict other severe or even fatal injuries. If you have not chosen a judge yet, then do so now. The judge can be someone who does not want to play or an extra person if you have an odd number of players. Have the judge stand in the center of the rope. The judge will also need a whistle (or a loud voice) to signal to other players that the game has started. The judge can blow a whistle or yell “Go!” to signal to the players that the game has started. Have the judge signal the start of the game so that the players will know when to start pulling. When the judge sounds the whistle or yells, then the game has officially started. All players on either side should lean backwards with their feet planted as they pull to start. Try to use your body weight and leg strength to pull the rope back and away from the other team. Each team’s goal is to pull the marker or flag past the center point. When one team or player has accomplished this goal, that team or player will be declared the winner. Don’t stop pulling until the judge declares a winner.

Summary: Lay out the rope. Place the opponents. Grip the rope. Place the judge in the center. Sound a whistle. Pull as hard as you can. Keep pulling until there is a victor.


You don't want to just distract yourself and forget when you have a problem though. This isn't healthy and in the long run you'll have problems. Confront the problem in order to bring yourself real happiness and long-lasting mental strength. Start confronting the problem by analyzing it and coming to understand what happened. Did you lose an important relationship? Did you suffer an environmental change that you resent? Did someone do something that hurt you? Figure out what problem is at the root cause of your pain. Be real and honest with yourself about why exactly you're hurting, because you can't solve the problem if you can't acknowledge it. Understand that the problem you had was out of your control. It doesn't matter what problem it was, believe us, it was out of your control. It's impossible to control every little thing that happens. Even if you made mistakes, you have to understand that everyone makes mistakes. Stop blaming yourself and feeling guilty about what happened. The past is the past: you can't change it. All you can do is work to make things better. Stop trying to get back to what you had and instead embrace the possibilities of tomorrow. By accepting that the world is the way that it is, you can start to feel happy again. Never forget that despite the things that have happened to you, despite the mistakes you might have made, you are still a good person. You can make people happy and you can to great things. You matter. Don't let bad experiences take away from you the incredible things you are capable of. Understand that by pulling yourself out of this sadness, you will be a better, new person on the other side. When we go through trials like this, they turn us into stronger people. People that are proven to be able to take more. You will find that if you can really overcome this problem, then you will be ready for almost anything life can throw at you in the future.

Summary: Confront the issue. Understand the problem. Relinquish guilt. Accept the reality. Remember your own worth. Find your strength.


This may be better for older babies that can mimic your body movements and some simple words.  Even younger babies may get a huge kick out of this game. Babies tend to like sounds that rhyme. Babies will unconsciously begin to mimic your smile and laughter at 3 months. Playing games such pat a cake using happy sounds can bring out a laugh from baby. As you say the line, you will need to do the right hand movements.   The first line of the poem is "Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man." As you say the line you will want to clap your hands. You can alternate by patting your palms on your thighs. With older babies, you can gently help your child clap along with the rhyme. The second line reads "Bake me a cake as fast as you can".   Continue to clap and pat your thighs as you say the second line. Alternatively, you can gently help an older baby to follow along with the hand motions. Keep your tone bright and enthusiastic with a big smile on your face. As your baby laughs, respond with laughter. This will just increase the fun! The last lines are as follows:   "Roll it. Pat it. And mark it with a B. And put it in the oven for baby and me!" When you say "roll it", roll your arms in a circle. When you say "pat it", pat your hands on your lap. When you say "Mark it with a B", draw a B in the air with your finger. When you say "put it in the oven", mimic the action of putting a cake in the oven. Children love repetitive games.  Many babies will find this amusing over and over again. It can be a good way to distract an unhappy child. As your child gets older, try to make them do the hand motions with you. This can help them to learn ordered play and coordination.

Summary: Be aware that this is a rhyming game that has hand motions that go along with a short poem. Start the game by saying the first line. Continue with the poem. Finish the poem. Repeat as many times as your baby is amused.


Wash your hair, face and shave if you wish. By getting these basics out of the way, you're free to relax rather than focusing on cleaning yourself. Adjust the temperature to your liking. Add bath salts and essential oils and maybe even bubble bath. Get a bath pillow or a rolled-up towel and prop your head on it. The bath is not meant to cleanse, but mostly to relieve tension, so if you need to wash your hair, shave, etc. It's better to do this before you begin. If you don't, you may feel stressed throughout the spa.  Put on a face mask. If you want, put some teabags or cucumber slices on your eyes to reduce under-eye swelling. Put on lip balm. Get a deep-conditioning hair mask and let it sit for the remainder of the bath. Lie back and read a book, have a glass of wine and some chocolate, or simply relax. It's all about relaxation. Candles for the bath are much more relaxing and better than having a bright light in your eyes. (Dipping your head underwater is optional)
Summary: Take a shower. Start your bath. Turn on that relaxing music and light the candles. Stay in your bath for as long as you want.