End of innocence?

K1's grade and the 5th graders put on Update: Earth by Roger Emerson this Spring. It was a great show and brought some tears - not so much for the actual performance itself - more because it symbolized the beginning of the end of their innocence. This is an age where kids believe that they can do anything - "we're gonna change the world each day". Soon but hopefully not too soon, their views will become more cynical and jaded and perhaps in no small ways, we as parents are responsible for this.