When we think about the words “innocence” and “childhood,” they often go hand-in-hand. Innocence, in this context meaning “lack of experience,” cements the ideals of childhood that invoke simplicity by means of exploration and acquisition. The phrase “tabula rasa” or blank slate reinforces this idea.
Innocence is synonymous with the ideas of optimism, naivety and broad lack of reason. One would say that a child who “does something bad” doesn’t “know any better” unless there is defined consequences of the action. For example, a child who enjoys coloring with crayons may be tempted to draw on the house walls. Exploration, optimism, naivety and lack of reason can explain the act while acquisition of learned rules and routine help guide the child to making a better future decision.
Broadly speaking, children are considered innocent because they are still physically and mentally developing. Innocence lasts until a child “comes of age” during adolescence. This could coincide with birthdate, menstrual cycles, puberty, receiving a religious rite and/or performing a ceremony. The optimism of childhood begins to fade as responsibilities and choices begin to grow and vary.
During this period of innocence, freedom exists only by means of lacking “adult” responsibilities and choices. In capitalistic thought, for example, these include working for pay, satisfying state taxes and making major life decisions.
At different points in history, including present day, childhood and innocence weren’t always viewed in this regard. Depending on a variety of contexts, including cultural contexts, children may or may have not have experienced this idyllic period of exploration and acquisition. Circumstances may force children to “grow up quickly” and fill the roles of adults. This could come in the form of physical labor, engaging in crime, caretaking ill family members, raising younger family members and otherwise becoming independent of respective adults.
Conversely, there are plenty of instances where adults weren’t given the opportunity to “grow up.” Parents and guardians continue to make choices for their children and thus perpetuating dependency and lack of maturity.
Within the realm of culture and communication, innocence is a consideration in how children are raised.
Questions we can ask include:
-How will the adults convey rules, routines and learned skills? In what manner? At what age?
-When will the child begin to understand complex concepts, such as crime and sexuality? Who teaches these concepts?
-How does behavior, perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and values intersect with what’s acquired?
-Is there is a hard stop on optimism, exploration and wonder?