What does it mean to be "childlike" not "childish"?

Question

Peace and Love

Answer 1

Calling someone childlike is just a nice way of saying they're being immature.

Answer 2

Though the two seem similar, I think that there's a bit of a difference. The word "childlike" implies naivete. That is, a childlike person is one who has the characteristics and emotional development of a child. Because he is young and doesn't know how the world works, he always relies on a final authority, usually the parent, to explain things for them and explain their world view. Because of this, the child would have complete, unwavering faith in this authority figure, always trusting everything he or she says, even if any evidence is presented to the contrary. Jesus encourages Christians in the Bible to adopt this personality when relating to God: absolute trust in what God says, even if the circumstances suggest that God is wrong. The word "childlike" also implies innocence. Because the child is new to the world, he pursues idealized, simplified dreams, and thinks that it is easy to construct the world in his head. For example, a child might want to live in a big house and buy many cars, but he obviously doesn't know how much one needs to do those things, so he thinks it's easy. Being childlike also means that the person doesn't know what humans really are like. The child can't comprehend cruelty, such as murder, theft, and rape, because it bewilders him as to how another human could be so cruel. In short, the word childlike implies innocence and a simplified view of the world.
The word "childish," however, implies disgusting immaturity. A childish person will play puerile pranks on other people, and his personality would reflect that of a child, but it would not reflect the child's innocence. Rather, it would reflect the child's folly. A childish person would do things like play stupid, childish pranks, and would act stupid.
In short, "childlike" implies innocence and complete faith in an authority figure, while "childish" implies purility and folly.

Answer 3

Childlike is defined as having good qualities as a child does. Innocence and frankness. This is a wonderful quality to have especially if one is an adult. It entails selfless love for mankind and GOD.......Childish is being immature and silly. As you can see, there' s quite a difference between the two.
Anyone would be honored to be childlike all their lives while others are so childish that they can't even tolerate true facts due
to their opinionated selves......

Answer 4

Childlike means being like a child or innocence of a child. Childish is being 30, and acting like you're a teenager.

Answer 5

I think that childish is basically immaturity, like cussing for no reason, playing stupid pranks, poop jokes and the like. And I think childlike is having a young way of looking at things, like always seeing things as a possibility instead of a dreading it or finding everything fresh and interesting. It's not over analyzing everything to death with logic and accepting things that don't make perfect sense but work out.

Answer 6

A person can be very mature and responsilbe and still have a childlike playfulness or joyful outlook on life. Childishness, on the other hand, means all the less-desirable traits associated with children -- throwing tantrums, being irresponsible, etc.

Answer 7

Childlike means the innosense of childhood, childish means the immaturity of a child.

Answer 8

To be childish is to be immature. To be childlike or to have a "childlike faith" is to open your mind and get a more clear message from God.

Answer 9

Childlike is more an expression that a person has faith like a child. They trust in God without question and put their lives completely in His hands. They are obedient to the creator and are capable of completely self-less love.

Answer 10

Childlike, portrays an innocents. Childish, is generally used when one is being accused of spoiled, selfish ways.