"Armored" Inner Child?

What an interesting thought, that we have an inner protected child. From about age eight on, we build armor to protect it, and because of this armor, the inner child never gets a chance to assimilate or grow. At least that's what Ted Hughes wrote.

I think I agree with the inner child part, but what he calls armor is what I think of as maturity, or at the very least coping skills. I also think that our authentic selves may be rooted in our childlike base selves, but it's not so buried as to be "peering through the slits." Not for me anyway. What about you? 

Read this over on Brainpicker's website (one of my favorite blogs!!!), and tell me what you think? I'll wait here for you.

Thanks for reading!
Cami  =)