At 65, celebrity dermatologist Vicki Belo is one proud mom to Scarlet Snow, her six-year old daughter with husband Hayden Kho. With her cherub-like features, vibrant smile, and bubbly character, Scarlet has easily become one of the most popular celebrity kids on Instagram today with over five million followers of her own.
In a chat with her good friend Ogie Diaz, Vicki has opened up about how motherhood in her 60s has made her feel ~young~, also noting the life lessons that she imparts to her offspring.
“When I wanted to have Scarlet, I was 57 and everybody was against me, everybody was saying, ‘No, you’re crazy, kawawa yung baby’,” Vicki shares, as she recalls the moment she told her family about wanting another child.
Her desire to have another baby stemmed from her younger days as a mother, because she wasn’t able to properly take care of Cristalle and Quark when they were little. She says, “Yun ang na-miss ko, yung childhood ng mga anak kong si Quark at saka si Cristalle. I was in medical school eh. So you’re always on duty, you’re always in the hospital. Katabi ko sila pero nag-aaral ako. Hindi talaga ako nakatutok.”
The longing to be a more hands-on mom has definitely come true when Scarlet was born. In fact, the doctor isn’t shy to admit that her little girl is her motivation to look and feel young! “Nako, with Scarlet every day iba-iba, nakaka-aliw! Ang cute cute pa man din niya so I’m so happy. I think I owe it to her and I want to be healthy and young para kasama ko naman siya for a long time,” Vicki happily shares.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
PHOTO BY Instagram/scarletsnowbeloGiven their status, one can easily assume that Scarlet gets the most lavish of gifts, but Vicki dismisses this notion. She opens up about one of their trips abroad, “Pumunta kami ng Paris, yung first store na pinuntahan namin Hermes. Eh when I was young, never ako sumama sa mommy ko mag-shopping, boring yun eh. Pero siya, she’s very quiet, she takes her time.”
She shares that Scarlet is fond of animals, so when she requested a scarf, Vicki happily obliged. However, Scarlet wanted more. “I said, ‘Scarlet, you know, this is not a toy store. Darling, we don't have the money to buy all of these. I can buy you one thing, you choose.’ Tapos bigla na lang umupo siya, gumanun, tapos she goes,‘Daddy, I want to buy so many things but I don't have the money. I won’t look na lang.’ So naka-cover mata niya the whole time. Ganun siya, di siya nagsha-shop or anything.”
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowVicki says that restricting herself from spoiling Scarlet too much isn’t an issue of money, but her way of teaching humility to her child. “Kayang kaya ko naman. Nahihirapan ako kasi I want Scarlet to love me so kung pwede ko lang ibigay lahat ng gusto niya, gagawin ko. Pero ang problema I was also adopted, so my parents were so mabigay to me and generous and everything I wanted they would give. Nahirapan ako in life.
“With Scarlet ayokong ibigay lahat kasi hindi nakakatulong talaga. Kung feeling ko lang makakatulong sa future niya magiging happier person siya, I will do it. But I always stop myself because I know it's good for her,” she shares, adding that her daughter isn’t one to gush over material things. “Hindi talaga siya mahingi. Mas ano siya, ‘play hide and seek with me’, yung mga ganon, patintero.”
She also reveals that Scarlet Snow uses the Belo surname, and it’s something she asked Hayden consent for. “Hindi alam ng tao na I told him, ‘Hayden, can I have a Belo baby? I don't have a real Belo baby because my Quark and Cristalle are Henares.’”
Hayden granted her request, since they weren’t married then anyway, but asked again when they tied the knot if they can change it. “Sabi ko, hindi,” Vicky says with a laugh. She told her husband, “Sabi mo sa 'kin Belo baby, so Belo baby forever.”
She shares that Scarlet herself adds Kho when writing her name sometimes, but maintains Belo in all her legal documents.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWThis story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph.
*Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.
What other parents are reading
