The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Thirty Six

I've been wondering what the proper age of baptism is. I have two children, ages seventeen and three. I'm sure that if my daughter, the seventeen year old, decided to be baptized it would be fine. But I have heard of a lot of children being baptized at the age of six or nine or twelve and it just seems really premature. Baptism is a very serious thing for somebody to do and I don't think that parents should take or allow their children to take it lightly. A child, even a child who has been raised in a Christian home doesn't quite understand sin and the need to be forgiven of it at such an early age. They also feel the need to please their Christian parents or grandparents and do it for the wrong reason. If a child knows that getting baptized will please their family and make them proud, they are very likely to do it for the praise and not because of the work of the Holy Spirit in them. Then they get a little older and and want to quit on God, the church and everything that is associated with them. So, I still can't give a proper age for baptism but I certainly don't think that it should be before puberty.
The next thing I wanted to bring up is parents who think it's cute and harmless to let their children take part in communion. It is not cute or harmless! It makes a mockery of the communion of the saints. If a person is not saved and baptized or they feel that their heart isn't right with God they are doing it in vein. 1 Corinthians 12:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manor will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manor eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lords body. 
I can't proclaim to know much but a child doesn't understand the depth of spirituality involved in taking communion. Now, since a child is young and ignorant of this sin it's up to us not to let them partake. I think that if we don't we are just heaping sin upon ourselves.