[marsantwo]

This author makes a few good points about teaching children to solve problems , but, there is an unnecessary dis and a click-baiting title about not teaching kids to code.

Teaching kids to code is not about turning everyone into a software engineer/programmer/developer . It is about providing a key skill required to work in whatever field in a world that is becoming more "software defined" .

Kids who grow up with these skills will have an advantage over those who need start later in life .

Magazines like Slate should not be posting incoherent opinion pieces when the whole industry is trying to up-skill the populace with job oriented skills.

[ido]

YES ^

Absolutely teach your kid (if they are actually interested) to code. It doesn't matter that they'll write horrible, barely functional code. That's how we all start.

They don't have to learn "proper" long-term coding etiquette - if they choose to do it professionally they would have plenty of time & opportunities to learn that.

Just get them started anywhere so that that kindling of interest can grow and they can make their mistakes and learn from them in a safe environment.