Three young words

We were all children at some point in our lives, and often look back at that time fondly. Many of us who are lucky enough to work with children admire their fearlessness and honesty at the same time that we might be annoyed with their immaturity. So what do we call adults who sometimes remind us of children in either good or bad ways? Here are a few ideas:

For someone who is open and adventurous, with a sense of wonder about the world, you can use the world "childlike", as in "She has a childlike honesty with all the people she knows."

For someone who is a bit unruly, rude or even simple-minded, try the word "childish". For example, "I'm tired of listening to your childish jokes."

Last, to capture the same mood as "childish" but give yourself an even greater sense of authority and condescension, try "juvenile", like "I don't care for your juvenile attitude."

We all know some people like this, so give them a try!