Kim Covert finds her calling in motherhood

CEBU, Philippines —  If you ask beauty queen and model Kimberly Covert, the credentials for being a mother must include the ability to stay awake for more than 48 hours, must have a steel spine, can lift at least 50 pounds, and must be ready to get poop under her fingernails.

Making history as the first mother to win a title in the two-year-old Binibining Cebu pageant, Kim has proven her being a super woman, time and again. During events, the Binibining Cebu Tourism 2018 title-holder can be seen with her partner Ben and their one year-old son, Sol Genesis. The three make an inseparable team who find their way through life hand in hand. When Kim made her pageant comeback last year through Binibining Cebu after it opened doors to single moms, she hit the ground running and in the end became the only one out of six mothers to land a crown.

The 24-year-old Filipina-American has faced life head-on: coming back to the Philippines on her own at 19 in search for her mother, and working as a travel writer, actress, and online stylist. She is currently in Manila doing castings and auditions for shows and commercials. Kim also re-launched her photography business as Covert Images which specializes in editorial and lifestyle shoots.

In an interview with The Freeman, Kim shared how she finally realized her life’s purpose through motherhood.

What does a day in your household look like?

Now that Sol is a year old, he doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night for a bottle anymore. So everyday I’m up at around seven in the morning, I work on my computer for a couple of hours until he wakes up. We eat breakfast as a family and spend the rest of the day either at home or out and about. Every day is different for me since I have a lot of events but I bring Sol with me most of the time. He goes to bed at around 9 p.m. We are a big family of three. All of us celebrate our birthdays in February making the month exciting! We live simple but love to travel and experience new things as a family. There is always music in our household.

What have you discovered about yourself since becoming a mom?

It made me realize this was my calling. My life has purpose now. I have a reason to work hard and do my best.

Can you tell us about your pregnancy when you were waiting for Sol to arrive?

I was really active throughout my pregnancy. I was working as a background actor in Hollywood for the first few months. We moved across different states looking for the best place to bring Sol into the world. We ended up back in San Diego where I started my photography business and model training camp with Ben. I didn’t start showing until my seventh month. Towards the end of my pregnancy I just wanted Sol to come out! I cleaned every nook and cranny before giving birth, it was crazy. He was born a healthy happy baby at 9 pounds and 11 ounces, 22 inches on February 9, 2018.

Is there something about parenthood that you wish you knew beforehand?

I don’t think you could ever be ready for motherhood. Luckily I wasn’t expecting too much and just knew I had to take everything one day at a time. If there was something I had to prepare for it was post-partum depression. The depression came a few months after Sol was born but Ben was there to keep me on my feet.

Who do you go to for guidance as you learn the ropes of starting a family?

Google is my best friend when it comes to advice on baby needs. But surprisingly it all comes naturally.

What are yours and Ben’s roles in the household?

Ben and I share every responsibility as parents. We don’t have specific roles, we do everything as a team. While I was competing in Binibining Cebu, Ben took care of Sol while I was busy with rehearsals and activities.

Do you have special plans to celebrate Mothers’ Day?

I always say a special prayer every Mothers’ Day before I was a mom myself. This Mothers’ Day, I’m going to Bulacan to visit my mom’s grave and introduce Ben. My mother passed away trying to conceive a baby boy. I’m sure she’s living through me every day. I feel like I have made her wish come true.

What are the toughest moments you had to go through? What makes all of these experiences fulfilling?

The first few weeks after giving birth was the hardest. I had a C-section delivery which I had to recover from. I suffered from post-partum depression for a while but through support from Ben and our families I have recovered. Moving from the US back to the Philippines with a six-month old baby was also very difficult. But we made it through! Seeing Sol happy makes everything worth it. I love seeing him grow and learn new things. Having Sol also brought Ben and I closer together. They complete me!

How is your Binibining Cebu advocacy project coming along?

All of the instruments for my Melody Makers of Alegria is in production. I have had meetings with the directors of Cebu Music Learning Center for the mentorship training. We are looking to begin the program once classes resume.

Will we be seeing you on another pageant soon?

I will be grabbing whatever opportunity comes my way. If Miss World Philippines is confirmed then that would be my next goal. I also am looking into representing the Philippines for Miss Multiverse. Fingers crossed for that! Other than that I’m focused on modeling.