Children who get pregnant must be under a lot of pressure. People should be at least 16 before they start having sex, because when you're young you probably don't know how hard it is to look after a baby. If under-16's do have sex they should use contraception. Sex education doesn't explain enough about sex - just how the body works. In our school our teacher crammed it all into two days so we didn't learn a lot.
Steven Guy, 11
Most children aged 11 plus think sex is just a joke and something to do for fun. But it's a sign of affection adults show each other and not something to be toyed and abused by people who wish to act cool and be popular. Young teenage parents are risking their whole futures just to look good. The age to start having sex should be 18 because you're mature and will find it easier to handle a child.
Christie Goode, 12
It's out of order to be pregnant at 12-years-old because you're too young and you're at the stage where you're learning about it. I'm twelve this year and I think being pregnant at this age would be stressful. At 12 you're not mature enough to deal with a baby. My mum tells me to be careful and not rush into things like the teenage mum Sarah Louise, in Coronation Street. That story line taught me to be careful of boys and to be sensible.
Cindy Crome, 11
It's not acceptable to have sex at my age because you have the rest of your life ahead of you. If you have a child it will wreck your education and your life. Even if you have a child at age 18 you are still wrecking your college education. Contraception isn't emphasised enough so young people don't take any notice of it. Having sex when you're young is nothing to be proud of.
Emma Hargreaves, 13
Having sex at my age is ridiculous. We have high school and college ahead of us before having a baby. If you have a baby really young then it would wreck your career and education and most definitely your life. Some children think it is cool to have a baby at our age but they don't think about what opportunities they could lose. The age to have sex should be 18.
Emma Riley, 12
Children of twelve shouldn't become pregnant, as they have not really had a chance to enjoy their lives; and people should really have this chance. The earliest age to have sex at is around 20-30 because before that you won't really have enough experience or time to care for a child. There's not enough sex education around and that might be why children have sex at early an age.
About the team
The Answer the question panel are members of Children's Express. This column was published as part of Teen Talk, the Children's Express page in New Nation.
