Are children really innocent?

[Dargor]

I see pretty much everyone including both religious and non-religious people expressing the common ''belief'' that children are innocent and pure. But I don't think there is really truth to this. Why? Because I don't have the feeling I've ever been pure and innocent myself. I remember being a three years old toddler and being extremely violent, fighting both my parents and other children and hurting them sometimes for no apparent reason other than joy. As I grew older, I displayed sadistic tendencies far more than other children, and would often torture dolls and humanoid toys with knives and scissors etc. And I actually enjoyed fighting at school as a kid. Fortunately, this all decreased drastically as I grew older over time and I haven't fought again since I was 15 years old. Today I detest every form of violence, although I still have a sadistic sense of humor but that's not the point. Perhaps some children who experience life for the first time are truly pure and innocent while other children who've had not so happy past lives still retain some of their original personality? I'm not really a firm believer in reincarnation and past lives myself but it still makes me wonder if it could be related.