Blood Typing....for fun?!!!

So by now I have come to grips with the fact that my children are being raised by a scientist. Lexi could explain pregnancy and how a baby grows in your "ooterus" not your "tummy" when she was three years old. Zac had classmates in Kindergarten who thought he was a liar because he told them his dad had a "dead body" at his office. Drake and Garrett saw the aforementioned "dead body" for the first time when they were 3. Pretty much all the teachers in the city know Tyson because of all the anatomy demonstrations he's done in the schools. Tyson has practiced for physiology labs by hooking our kids up to the machines and showing them how he can make their muscles twitch with electrodes. But I think we reached a new low this week when we took them to his lab to check their blood types. And it all started with an innocent question from Lexi, "So what does it mean when they say blood type?" Well......why not have a practical, hands on demonstration?!!!

First of all Tyson got out a couple of microscopes and let them look at blood slides and taught them about red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.  Then he taught them about antigens and antibodies -- that part might have gone over their heads, but I thought it was interesting.

Then it was time for the "fun" part!  It was interesting to see how all the kids reacted to something they thought was a little scary.  Lexi had us all reciting the names of the Greek gods as a distraction......Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Athena, Aphrodites......etc, etc, etc! When that girl grows up to be an Egyptologist we'll have to send a picture of her diploma to Rick Riordan and say "see how you've inspired people with all your Lightning Thief books!"  Though, she's moved way past the Lightning Thief and now checks out every book on mythology that she can find! 

Zac went to his "happy place"....."Oh, beautiful, lovely Legos, how much I adore you! If I could spend every moment of the day with you I would be so happy!"

Poor Drake couldn't come up with a happy place.  But yes, we are those awful parents who make their kids do stuff they don't want to do.  He hid until it was his turn to get his finger pricked and after it was done, he perked right up and said, "Hey, that wasn't that bad!"  He was proud that he had the courage to do it (earlier in the day we had talked about courage because we were helping Zac with one of his requirements for cub scouts.)

Garrett actually had to do it twice because we couldn't get enough blood the first time.  But he was very brave and took it all in stride.

I didn't think I should have to do it because I already know my blood type, but the kids made me. Since I had made Drake do it even though he didn't want to, I decided that I couldn't chicken out either. This is probably not my best look, but the way I tend to cope with things that make me nervous is by joking around!

What fun family activities we come up with! Next week maybe we'll just stick to putting together a puzzle or playing soccer.....unless one of the kids decides to ask "what is a lobotomy?!!!"