There is a math culture among Russians that helps here. The whole phenomenon of Math Circles that are coming up now in the US were a Russian idea that the (now

There is a math culture among Russians that helps here. The whole phenomenon of Math Circles that are coming up now in the US were a Russian idea that the (now, not so) recent immigrants brought with them. US math education is too much about the mechanics of arithmetic. Russian math education is more about creative problem solving using real math. If you go to a Math Circle, you see that the kinds of problems the kids are working on require the same kind of problem solving skills that you engage when programming. The difference is evident when you observe the typical sophomore-level discrete math class in US universities. Most of the students have that deer-in-headlights look that shows they are struggling with the basic concepts of logical reasoning and how to write a proof like a grown-up. Kids from what I'll call "enriched" or "non-traditional (in the US)" math education have been doing that stuff since middle school and are a little bored. (Off-topic asides: 1) If your kid likes math, look for a local Math Circle. They all vary, but hopefully you live near a good one. 2) If your kid is a middle-schooler and really likes math, I highly recommend the MathPath camp -- see mathpath.org.)