A dash of salt and a dollop of love

During the June holidays, Lesley-Anne had a busy schedule, having to return to school for her band CCA about three times a week. Having seen how intensive a secondary school student's life is, I made a conscious effort to spend more time with Andre while I still could.

Inadvertently, most of our bonding sessions happened over food. After his badminton training, we would go for lunch at Subway where he would order his favourite turkey ham on honey oat bread, followed by a yummy double chocolate chip cookie.

While waiting for Lesley-Anne to finish her ballet lesson, we would sometimes hop over to a nearby cafe for coffee and cake. I'd make him bring a book so he could fit in some reading time.

It came as no surprise then that Andre started to show the physical aftereffects. In fact, after our short holiday at Resorts World, what with all the bingeing at Hard Rock Cafe, he was looking decidedly portly with a "prosperous" tummy. Even an intensive badminton training schedule wasn't enough to neutralise the outcome.

We teased him mercilessly over this, especially when even his piano teacher noticed and commented on the difference. In his own defence, he pointed to the portion under his diaphragm and protested, "my stomach is here! It's not fat!" And then patting his beer gut, he explained, "I just have fat intestines."

I probably should exert more control over his diet but I've so enjoyed our mother-son sessions and bonding without food is only half the fun. Ah well, the holidays are over so he can now work off all those extra calories... in time for the next vacation.