I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO CODE - DO I GO TO IKEA OR GROW MY OWN TREE?

It's like woodworking. You can START by growing a tree, then chopping it down and finishing it, sanding it, before you make a table. Or you can go to Ikea. More likely you'll try something in between.

Modifying a WordPress theme is going to Ikea. Writing you own web framework is growing a tree first because you don't like the existing trees. You have to decide where on the spectrum you want to be, from being a custom furniture maker from the Woodright's Shop or someone who assembles prefabricated pieces made by someone else.

WHAT DO WE REALLY MEAN BY "I WANT TO LEARN TO CODE?"

What's the question under the question? Does she want to make websites? Design them? Does she want to make mobile applications and take them on the go? Does she want to create a gadget that will text her when she leaves the garage door open too long? These are all very different endpoints and there's lots of great ways to get started if we dig in a little.

• Interested in Web Development?
  • Any of the many "Learn to Code" sites mentioned above will do fine.
• Interested in Hardware?
  • Consider a Raspberry Pi or Arduino.
• Interested in the code and history under the code you use every day?
  • Read "Code" by Charles Petzold.
• Already a techie but want to learn the hard way?
  • Check out http://learncodethehardway.org
• Interested in being a well-rounded developer?
  • Read "Coder to Developer" by Mike Gunderloy

You can totally jump in to the web, learn a little JavaScript and start making web apps, and you should.  But as with everything, if you've got deeper interest, there are a few different paths to going further. Do a little research into the breadth of possibilities available to you, and you just might try a slightly different path.