If the neighbourhood kids are just curious, WEP/WPA security will deter them far more effectively than hiding your SSID.

If the neighbourhood kids have the tools to discover your hidden SSID they will most likely have the tools to start breaking your network key.

The basic point is that broadcasting the SSID doesn't make a network any more vulnerable than if it is hidden, but if it makes you feel more secure (it's classic security by obscurity) then great. Hiding the SSID doesn't really achieve anything other than cause aggravation for the network owner because some devices don't play nice with hidden networks.

PS. MAC filters are also just a minor detterent for even the moderately determined - MAC addresses are easy to spoof. Valid MAC addresses for a network using MAC filters can be determined in about the same amount of time as it takes to detect a hidden network - under 5 seconds. The only true deterrent is WPA.