Nate the Inquisitor

[Update] I have to add that our internet search the other night included videos of white blood cells, bacteria, etc...Nate was enamored.  As soon as he got home from school yesterday, he begged to watch the "bacteria videos."  I didn't have time to sit at the computer with him so I told him some other time (how dare I keep him from learning?? Yes, I felt bad). We didn't have a chance last night so he begged and pleaded this morning to watch bacteria videos.  We didn't have time again, so I promised tonight.  Who else has a child that begs to watch bacteria videos??

Nate has always been an inquisitive child. I've posted many a story on here about things he asks us to explain to him.  I had a chuckle with the latest inquisition, so I thought I'd share.  Since Nate started Kindergarten, we have a new pickup schedule (since both kids were in the same place before). When I get off work, I go to get Nate since it is just right around the corner. And then we trek up to WashU to get Lila.  We have this new found time to chat. Some days he talks alot and some days he's sort of reflective and doesn't have much to say. But I still like the time to debrief with him before the little squealer gets in the car.

They must have a Health section of PE class because this week on the way to get Lila, Nate asks, "Mom, what does bacteria look like?" I gave my best explanation about how bacteria was too small to see but it probably looked like small worms (Scott is somewhere cringing and he doesn't know why:) Are they green? Um, not sure, but I guess they could be.  "What does good bacteria look like?" It is at this point I know that we are going to get into a philosophical discussion about bacteria and I am not going to know all the answers.

"Well, good bacteria and bad bacteria probably look about the same, but it is what is inside of them that makes them good or bad." Oh I see, he says.

"Well, how does good bacteria actually KILL bad bacteria?"

I guess the good bacteria eats the bad bacteria, I say hesitantly.  Right, he says. "But how does that ACTUALLY happen."

"You know, Nate, I'm not exactly sure. Let's ask Dad tonight." Um, ok, he says.  "Well then, what do white blood cells do with all this?" Oh golly.

"White blood cells help your body fight infection." I know that, Mom, he says. "But what do the white blood cells ACTUALLY shoot out that kills the infection."

"Um. Um. I really don't know what that's called. Let's ask Dad tonight or look it up on the computer when we get home."  Okay, Mom, he says, let's do that right when we get home.

We got immersed in other things when we got home, so it wasn't until after bath when Nate reminded me, "Mom, don't forget. We have to look up that white blood cell stuff."

And so we did.  At one point, Scott came in and gave us a college level lesson about cells. To which Nate replied, "Dad. Mom and I are looking at this. We don't need you right now." Guess my limited memory of cell knowledge was sufficient for him. Score 1 for me. 

And in case you are wondering, the "stuff" that shoots out of white blood cells is called Oxidative Bursts :)