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Started programming on my ZX81 (TS1000 to you Tex) in 1981 at the tender age of 13, moved on up in the BASIC ranks, then to Uni to do Maths and switched to Compsci cos I could do it better - Pascal, C, etc etc. <insert language here> Then reverted to Hypercard for some neato UI concepts, as well as Revolution. <aside> porting such an environment to Maemo would be the business... <\aside>
But I'm a researcher, so don't code too much beyond proofs of concept which can be safely ignored when they don't work. So I still enjoy it.
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Education - I dunno, it's difficult to say what's best because there is no one way to learn. Some people do it better than others one way, and so on. To make it more interesting for my kids, one of whom started school this year, we're sending them to a french school. Watching the brain bend around a new language at that age is an education in itself. The resultant education system, at least here, seems better suited for understanding why rather than how at the outset. I think that's fine because the how is much easier to achieve when the why is in place. But that's my style of learning (see above).

We're taking them to Florida to see a shuttle takeoff in July though - and man are they excited. No, I refuse to take them to Disney-anything. But they understand *why* the shuttle is such a big deal.

Kathy, in fact I can make my own clothes, but lack a sewing machine so must do it by hand. Too slow, so I go to the shop. I can cook too. That is more like programming. But I make a kick-*** Saag Paneer... (actually, anything veggie and Indian and hot...)