The Middle Distance

Children aren't innocent, they're merely not guilty by reason of neuro-cognitive under-development.

I'd say that what's termed 'childhood innocence' is really just a combination of ignorance, vulnerability and oblviousness to adult social norms (the last of which can sometimes be amusing/enlightening/refreshing/charming on occasions). To me it's an inevitable phase of development rather than a virtue.

When it comes to Bad Things That Happen In The World, my guess is that parents' reluctance to talk about said Bad Things is usually more a result of their own discomfort about discussing about the issues with a child than the idea that the child might somehow be damaged as a result.