[jshaqaw]

I hope it works out. I was excited to get my kids interested in programming like I was in the early 80s. What I discovered was some combo of my kids are their own people and not my clones, but I think more importantly, the bar for computer magic has risen. When I was 8-12 just making a computer do anything was magic. Computers were mysterious and still a bit rare. Today my kids are growing up in a world of total computer saturation from phones to pads to laptops to the cloud. Much as I wished programming would capture fire for them like it did for me, there is no magic for them in making the computer do a few simple things. The world still sort of awaits the next paradigm to spark the next generation of inventors and creators.

[cmrdporcupine]

Yep I briefly had my 10 year old snagged on Pico-8 last week -- he immediately and intuitively seemed to understand what was going on as we kind of pair programmed together -- until I left the room. Then he just started playing other people's Pico-8 games and described the whole thing as boring.

He's got potential as a programmer. Maybe someday someone will pay him to do it. But you're right, computers now can do everything so easily, there's no glory in doing simple things for the sake of it.

[the_af]

First, wow! I didn't know about the Pico-8. Seems fun! I like that its limitations can foster creativity.

Second, maybe your son needs more time. Back when I was a kid, I played a bit with BASIC on my C64 but it was very frustrating and I gave up trying to do something complex, and ended up just playing games, much to my parents' chagrin.

I ended up a programmer :)