a new way of thinking of innocence

It's often said here that a child is innocent when they don't know something an adult doesn't want them to know; and ignorant when a child doesn't know something that an adult wants them to know. I think that instead, innocence is though of as a cute, harmless form of ignorance. Being harmlessly ignorant. Playing/experimenting, or asking silly questions involving a faulty assumption, are good examples. Running across the street without looking both ways is not harmless ignorance, for a counterexample. Not minding being nude is a classic example of innocence, with special significance for those who follow Abrahamic religions (i.e. Adam & Eve.)

During puberty, children start appearing less cute, and their ignorance is seen as less cute and harmless as well. In other words, adults are less tolerant of the ignorance of older children. I can't imagine how chastity could be considered a form of innocence, unless adults consider ignorance of sexual activity to be harmless. Suggesting that knowledge of sexual activity is considered potentially harmful. They're harmlessly ignorant of sex, they don't ask questions about it, and if they do the parent can deny them information. This explains why some parents have a problem with public schools' sex education classes. I think this behavior by parents could be called 'sheltering.'