Maybe kids just have a better instinct for honesty, which is a basic underlying aspect of humility, and a necessary skill for survival. People who are honest with themselves, and value truth, have a certain gravitas. I believe babies are born with an instinct to know who is good for them, pre-verbally, and they learn fast. Unfortunately, life is not ideal and children often have to learn to live and survive with the fallibilities of their family systems, many of which are truth-avoidant, or downright toxic.
ORIGINAL COMMENT