Childhood Innocence- When Do They Lose It?

Isn’t it cool how children can be so innocent? But what happens to change them? When does it happen?

The thought on this topic came to me as I was teaching an Adult Sunday School class and we discussed Mark Chapter 9:36-37. Jesus teaches us to be like a child in order to gain access to his kingdom.

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

I don’t remember the eyes through a child. Children are genuine and real. Remember seeing a child at Christmas and how they light up as they view the decorations or wait to talk to Santa? It is a world of anticipation. Adults smile as they see these things.

Children are pure. They have no preconceived notions and are sometimes brutally honest and sincere. You won’t find them sugar coating anything to make it more palatable as they become spontaneous and much more perceptive than adults.

We are better people and more responsible when we begin having our own children. Our lives are changed forever. They have a way to keep us alive and going forward with our daily routines. Child are a joy and babies are precious to have and to hold.

But, sadly, it doesn’t last forever. When do children lose their innocence?

I have a theory on that issue. I believe that a child loses his or her innocence as he or she gains experience in life.

For example, when children begin to hide things can be the beginning of the loss of innocence. It may be necessary for the child to issue a lie rather than face the consequences. Let’s begin with an adult using their cellphone. The child is eyeing it and wanting to get their grubby paws on it. As you sit it down you tell the child in no uncertain terms to leave it alone or they will be punished.

The child, being a child, can’t stand to see the iphone sitting there and begins to play with it and accidentally drops it and it no longer works. The child now fears that punishment is on the way and puts the phone back in the same spot and leaves the scene.

We you come back and find the phone doesn’t work and you promptly quiz the child about tampering with it and he/she shells out a lie and tells you they never touched it. The child has now learned to hide something from others and he has also learned to lie. He has lost all innocence children naturally have. All this happened because he gained experience in life and learned how to play it safely for him/her.

 

When Children Lose Their Innocence

By Frances Duggan

The innocence of childhood it is a marvelous thing

And all children are untainted in their life’s early Spring

But by the time they’ve reached their teens their innocence they’ve lost

And the experience that we gain from age always comes at a cost.

 

When children lose their innocence they lose their gift of joy

The joy that comes from innocence in every young girl and boy,

Compared to us young children see life quite differently

Of the guilt of corruption they are completely free.

 

I have such happy memories of when I was a boy

My childhood years were happy years but time just seemed to fly

And the experience that I’ve gained from life it came at a great cost

For I lost something beautiful when innocence I lost.

 

When did I lose my innocence?

HeHe, I am not telling that story!

 

The opinions in this blog belong to Tom Knuppel