Imagine breaking away from the everyday. Going solo without any kid-friendly responsibilities. Imagine going to the spa for a day - maybe with a friend or two. Imagine all of the gossip you'll be able to catch up on without being interrupted every two seconds. The tea you'll be able to sit and sip and finish. Imagine your day being calm, stress-free and clear of worries.
Hold that thought.
Now imagine bringing your child{ren} to the spa with you.
{You can let me know what you're thinking right now in the comments below. In fact, I encourage you to!}.
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| Photo courtesy of The Mom Spa |
Enter The Mom Spa. And, no, I wasn't joking about bringing the kids with you. In fact, The Mom Spa encourages you to do just that and they even have a specially reserved space just for the VIP-kiddies! At. No. Extra. Cost.
Too good to be true right?
That's what I thought until I experienced it myself. It started with an early morning drive to South Surrey with Lil J. To prepare him for an unfamiliar surrounding {as I wasn't sure how he would react}, I told him that he was going to a play area while Mommy went to an appointment. It seemed to work because the minute he saw the train table as we arrived at The Mom Spa, he pretty much didn't even notice I had left.
After Lil J settled in, I was brought around to the manicure/pedicure area, which was a nice, bright open space to relax and sip on some tea before my treatment began. Then it was off to a private room with Lauren for my Signature Decleor Facial.
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| Photo courtesy of The Mom Spa |
The facial started off with a 15-minute soothing back massage that was so relaxing, I started drifting in and out of dreamland. Once Lauren started with the actual facial, I was completely in a zone {and at ease knowing Lil J was safe and sound enjoying himself in the playroom}, so much so that I drifted off for a few little naps throughout my treatment.
The Mom Spa uses Decleor products during the facial and, although I wasn't able to smell the aromatherapy based products as my sinuses were blocked from a recent bout with the flu, I was satisfied that the products worked well with my skin, making it feel smooth and healthy.
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| Whimsicuts Photo courtesy of The Mom Spa |
Also during my visit at the spa, I met the inspirational woman behind The Mom Spa concept: West Poirier, proud mom and founder of The Mom Spa. She graciously answered my questions about how she started the spa and what obstacles she overcame to getting where she is today:
Q. What was your main inspiration for the concept of The Mom Spa and Whimsicuts?
A. The idea for a spa with childminding came about when I lived in Toronto. In early 2010, a friend of mine invited me to go with her for a pedicure on Queen Street. This little spa would bring in someone to look after the children while you had your nails done. I thought, "Wow, this is brilliant!". I didn't have family in Toronto to ask for help with my children while I was treating myself to a pedicure or a massage {so I rarely did} and I felt guilty paying someone to look after the kids while I took some time for myself.
When I moved back to BC in June 2010, my maternity leave for my son Grey was ending and I returned to a long-time career as a radio advertising Account Manager. But I was really struggling with the long hours away from my children {including a horrible commute from South Surrey into downtown Vancouver} and felt my marriage was also suffering because of my shift from full-time mom and homemaker {if I can use such an old fashioned word to describe being the cook, housekeeper, dog walker, etc.} to working outside of the home full-time. I kept thinking about the concept of opening a spa that offered childminding and knew it would also give me an opportunity to bring my children to work with me and would provide a better live-work balance.
In late 2010, I left my full-time radio job and started putting my ideas to paper and completed a business plan for a 'spa for moms'. When I realized there were no salons catering to young children in South Surrey or White Rock, I knew I had to work this into the plan. 2011 was a very busy year for me. My marriage ended at the end of 2010 and I worked throughout 2011 to secure the perfect space and then build the spa and salon, with a goal of opening by the end of the year. All while being a single mother to my then 1 and 3 year old children. I ended up having a wonderful year getting the spa and salon ready because I had time to focus on my children and we did a lot of really cool things and even took a few trips. The Mom Spa and Whimsicuts opened on January 18, 2012. It's hard to believe we've been open 14 months now.
Q. What three words would you use to describe The Mom Spa experience?
A. It's about you!
We know moms rarely take the time for themselves so we've created a relaxing and comfortable space where they can enjoy some pampering, while having the peace of mind knowing their children are well cared for by our childminders and having fun in our playroom.
Q. You have an amazing space dedicated for children and seem to strive to create a balance for moms who just need to take some time out to relax. I'm currently on maternity leave and am struggling to figure out how to balance my time and daily priorities. You own your own business and have a young family {amazing!}. What tips do you have on balancing your time efficiently?
A. I have to admit, I don't often feel like I'm balancing time and priorities as well as I would like because it seems like there is always something else that needs to be done. But when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I try to reflect on the things that are getting done and I don't dwell on my never-ending 'to-do' list. Basically, I celebrate my accomplishments, no matter how small they may be. I also once got great advice from someone who told me to make a mental list every morning of three things that can realistically be accomplished that day. This helps me focus my attention on important tasks and also provides a daily sense of accomplishment which is very motivating. I also now have an amazing man in my life who is a great source of support and a wonderful step-father to my children. So having help with the day-to-day stuff as well as a cheerleader in my corner is huge!
Q. Do you have any advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs that are looking to start their own business?
A. Wow, what can I say? The biggest thing I learned is that you can never underestimate how much time and work goes into starting and running a business, especially if you have a family to care for as well. Decide if what you will put into it will be worth what it will take away from your time with your family. And make sure you hire good people and take help from friends and family when it's offered! But with that said, I want to share something that I read that literally changed my life and has influenced many of my decisions in the past few years. This is an excerpt from Steve Jobs' 2005 commencement speech at Stanford:
"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."
{Swank Deal}
Experience The Mom Spa's Signature 75 Minute Decleor Facial for a special price of $100 {regularly $115} until April 30, 2013. Make sure you mention SwankMama and the discounted price when booking your appointment online, by phone {604-535-7730} or directly through their Facebook page.
{Two Dollar Tuesdays at The Mom Spa!}
Introducing TWO DOLLAR TUESDAYS! Visit The Mom Spa on Tuesdays for these great deals (up to a $25 value) for only $2...Book our 60-Minute Signature Deluxe Pedicure and receive a warm paraffin wax treatment as well as a polish application on your hands for only $2 more! Book our 60-Minute Signature Deluxe Manicure and receive a warm paraffin wax treatment as well as a polish application on your feet for only $2 more! Book $45 dollars or more in waxing services and receive a lip, brow or chin wax for only $2 more! Call us at 604-535-7730 to book your appointment. These special prices cannot be combined with other promotions, discounts or spa packages.
Have you been to The Mom Spa? Share your experience or thoughts in the comments below!
Disclosure: The views expressed in this review are my own and do not represent the opinions or views of The Mom Spa. We received a complimentary spa treatment from The Mom Spa in order to conduct this review.
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