[skyberrys]

That's a good point. You articulate the difference between childish wonder and the sometimes innocent but still dangerous childish behaviors. The chance to experiment with your vision of the world is a good and valuable thing in both kids and adults. The childish behaviors that are more problematic are things like not fully considering the consequences of your actions. For instance a two year old might pick up a bumble bee and never consider the danger of getting stung. Adults should know better.

[ranyume]

While children have their own psychology, behavior and brain development cycle, I'd like to clarify that I'm being careful not to practice ageism, something deeply entrenched in our culture.

The things you listed are not a special innate properties of children past a certain age (maybe it's the passage from infant to child? I don't know). If you don't teach children how a bumble bee is dangerous, they'll never know, and adults either!. It's the same for not considering the consequences of actions. We adults know better because someone taught us and we learned via painful experiences, so it's our duty to guide them so they can avoid painful experiences (while not controlling them).

[skyberrys]

I appreciate your nuance and care around ageism, it is something we don't want to default to.