CJL:
Somehow, if God wanted us to be childlike, I suspect he would've made us more childlike.
So, You KNOW enough about all such to judge that God couldn't possibly decide it's qualitatively better somehow for individuals to learn over 70 or so years the art of being child-like instead of childish--through the intricacies of being sandpaper and polishing cloth for each other--hopefully while being in dialogue with God?
You KNOW enough about all such to judge that God is somehow stupid or illogical or whatever such to avoid starting with what He wants to end up with?
Have you ever sculpted? Wove fabric? Made a lot of pots on a wheel? painted landscapes? landscaped?
Evidently God thinks THE PROCESS is at least as important as "product" aspects of the end result. But obviously God doesn't know as much as you do. ( / satire)
In any case, looking at the process a person goes through, even those directed by God in the Bible, people do not become more childlike under but more knowing and more like God.
First and foremost, in my reading, at least, God is a creator. The process by which God seems to mold us appears to be one that makes us a more creating people.
That's my reading in interpretation of the Bible and the world. I don't claim to "know." I merely believe strongly.