Something I told my 11 yo recently: The apparently random collection of things you learn when you're young makes you into a sort of key. Then you have to find the lock it matches. But that's not as hard as it sounds, because the matching lock is usually nearby.
I tell my kids that it's a custom that swearwords are reserved for adults. But if they doubt the force of custom, they should imagine showing up for school one day naked.
Something I taught my 11 yo today: Some amount of programming consists of copying and pasting lines you've already written, and then changing a few parameters. But the better the language, the less of this you do.
When teaching kids to program, it's good if you're doing something too, instead of standing over them, so they can experiment (which is an important part of programming). But you can't be doing anything uninterruptible. Sorting Lego is perfect.
Don't worry about kids acquiring bad programming habits when they're first learning. The only habit that matters is the habit of programming. Tidiness can come later. Enthusiasm can't.
Something I explained to my 11 yo: The biggest division in work may be between jobs that involve making new stuff (science, engineering) and those that don't (administration, sales), and you'll be a lot happier if you end up on the side you're suited for.
Something I taught my 11 yo: Practice teaches you how to do things without having to think consciously about each step. So even when you “already know how” to do something by making a conscious effort, you can often reach another level of knowing how to do it through practice.
Parenting trick: invent a gesture that means “I love you.” 2 yos like it as a game. 8 yos like it because they can use it in public.