I think it is that parents just don't kick their kids out the door as much as they used to. I think the demise of sandlot sports has had a lot to do with it.
I met Woz when I was 13 at a friend's garage. He was about 18. He was like the first person I met who knew more electronics than I did at that point. We became good friends because we shared an interest in computer and we had a sense of humor. We pulled all kinds of pranks together.