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Letting children chalk public pavement

489 replies

RainbowRanger29 · 09/09/2025 11:45

Hi,

So wondering AITA for allowing my young child (age 5) to draw with chalk on the public pavement?

My child was happy out drawing pictures and writing her name with chalk in the front garden with her little friends from the street. They ran out of space in the garden and continued there colourful chalk drawings along the public pavement outside the house.

No one owns the public footpath (its not anyone's actual property) and they drew along outside around 5/6 houses. They drew rainbows and houses and wrote their names and a hopscotch. Nothing offensive but not exactly amazing art (they are only 5!)

One of the neighbours arrived home and appeared visibly annoyed with the chalk, the kids asked if they like their art and they ignored them, went inside, got their hose and washed the chalk away from the public footpath outside of their house only.

The children were still out drawing and got upset that they had washed it away (mummy didn't they like our pictures? Why are they washing it away? Etc)

We live in the UK and it rains an awful lot! It would have washed away anyway later that evening when it rained ... I think it was mean of them to hose it away in front of the kids (surely they could of waited until the kids had stopped playing?)

Or is it me ... should I have not allowed them to chalk the public footpath?

Is it kids being kids enjoying chalking public areas? I used to do this as a kid and it never seemed to upset anyone? Or is it disrespectful to allow children to chalk on public footpaths outside of other people's home?

Interested on everyone's opinions

OP posts:
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Mokel · 14/09/2025 17:07

Anyway any chalk drawings etc would be washed away by now

Petitchat · 14/09/2025 17:04

Goditsmemargaret · 14/09/2025 13:45

Graffiti?

Mental health triggers?

What the absolute fuck is wrong with people?

Rude graffiti written by parents, no less.

I can just imagine, in the middle of cooking a meal or doing laundry, parents nipping outside to the pavement to add rude bits to the kids hopscotch 🤣

Goditsmemargaret · 14/09/2025 13:45

Graffiti?

Mental health triggers?

What the absolute fuck is wrong with people?

BunfightBetty · 14/09/2025 11:01

TalkToTheHand123 · 14/09/2025 09:57

It's a massive mental health trigger.

How so?

TalkToTheHand123 · 14/09/2025 09:57

Spirallingdownwards · 13/09/2025 22:24

Hideous graffiti or kiddies' drawings. They aren't permanent and it isn't on someone's private property.

It's a massive mental health trigger.

Spirallingdownwards · 13/09/2025 22:27

akkakk · 12/09/2025 10:10

It is funny how on this thread and so many others people believe that it has to be 100% one view or 100% the other...

If you want to live sociably with neighbours, it is worth being aware that not everyone thinks the same, and being sensitive to not upsetting people...

of course there is no issue with a kid using chalk on a pavement - but at the same time, for some people it does change their feel for the neighbourhood, so they won't like it...

being sensitive to that is just good manners, it doesn't harm to have a kid colour with chalk on the pavement, equally it doesn't harm to teach a child that the world doesn't revolve around them and they need to be thoughtful in how they do things... so you might get them to do it in some areas and not others - it isn't anti-kids to observe that there are boundaries and some of those boundaries you might not understand or even agree with, but for others they are important... learning tolerance for other views is a good life skill

this insistence on polarisation of views is what breaks down society not builds it up...

If you want to live sociably with your neighbours you wouldn't go moaning about chalk on pavements. Indeed such a person should, as you rightly say, learn tolerance and indeed as the adult in this situation you would have thought they would have by now, especially towards a young child.

Spirallingdownwards · 13/09/2025 22:24

TalkToTheHand123 · 12/09/2025 19:16

Sometimes it doesn't rain for days and you have to put up with the hideous grafiti for a long time. Parents shoild be fined and made to wash it off.

Hideous graffiti or kiddies' drawings. They aren't permanent and it isn't on someone's private property.

LittleBitofBread · 13/09/2025 18:03

TalkToTheHand123 · 12/09/2025 19:16

Sometimes it doesn't rain for days and you have to put up with the hideous grafiti for a long time. Parents shoild be fined and made to wash it off.

‘hideous graffiti’ 😄
Fined for some chalk on the pavement Hmm What local council has the time or resources to enforce that? (even if local councils gave a rat’s ass about it).

Petitchat · 13/09/2025 17:57

TalkToTheHand123 · 13/09/2025 10:57

The parents join in and draw rude pictures.

The parents come out of their homes and go and draw rude pictures on the pavement that their own children can see?
And in full view of everyone?

Don't believe you....

Chompingatthebeat · 13/09/2025 11:19

akkakk · 12/09/2025 10:10

It is funny how on this thread and so many others people believe that it has to be 100% one view or 100% the other...

If you want to live sociably with neighbours, it is worth being aware that not everyone thinks the same, and being sensitive to not upsetting people...

of course there is no issue with a kid using chalk on a pavement - but at the same time, for some people it does change their feel for the neighbourhood, so they won't like it...

being sensitive to that is just good manners, it doesn't harm to have a kid colour with chalk on the pavement, equally it doesn't harm to teach a child that the world doesn't revolve around them and they need to be thoughtful in how they do things... so you might get them to do it in some areas and not others - it isn't anti-kids to observe that there are boundaries and some of those boundaries you might not understand or even agree with, but for others they are important... learning tolerance for other views is a good life skill

this insistence on polarisation of views is what breaks down society not builds it up...

Equally it doesn't harm to teach a grumpy neighbour that the world doesn't revolve around them and they need to be thoughtful in how they complain about petty things and make the neighbourhood a less happy place.

this insistence on polarisation of views from older people is what breaks down society not builds it up...

TalkToTheHand123 · 13/09/2025 10:57

Petitchat · 13/09/2025 10:40

hideous graffiti

from kids? Are you sure?

Edited

The parents join in and draw rude pictures.

Petitchat · 13/09/2025 10:40

TalkToTheHand123 · 12/09/2025 19:16

Sometimes it doesn't rain for days and you have to put up with the hideous grafiti for a long time. Parents shoild be fined and made to wash it off.

hideous graffiti

from kids? Are you sure?

hulahooper2 · 12/09/2025 21:08

I let mine do it when they were younger and was totally surprised when my lovely neighbour complained about it , just told them not to do it outside his house in future. like you say it’s easily washed away

TeaNoSugars · 12/09/2025 20:57

I had a neighbour who knocked on the door and made me go and wash it off when I was a kid too!

Pricelessadvice · 12/09/2025 20:51

akkakk · 12/09/2025 10:10

It is funny how on this thread and so many others people believe that it has to be 100% one view or 100% the other...

If you want to live sociably with neighbours, it is worth being aware that not everyone thinks the same, and being sensitive to not upsetting people...

of course there is no issue with a kid using chalk on a pavement - but at the same time, for some people it does change their feel for the neighbourhood, so they won't like it...

being sensitive to that is just good manners, it doesn't harm to have a kid colour with chalk on the pavement, equally it doesn't harm to teach a child that the world doesn't revolve around them and they need to be thoughtful in how they do things... so you might get them to do it in some areas and not others - it isn't anti-kids to observe that there are boundaries and some of those boundaries you might not understand or even agree with, but for others they are important... learning tolerance for other views is a good life skill

this insistence on polarisation of views is what breaks down society not builds it up...

Very well said.

Parker231 · 12/09/2025 19:21

TalkToTheHand123 · 12/09/2025 19:16

Sometimes it doesn't rain for days and you have to put up with the hideous grafiti for a long time. Parents shoild be fined and made to wash it off.

I’m glad you aren’t one of our neighbours. I’m happy to see children having fun in the outdoors!

Petrolitis · 12/09/2025 19:19

It's absolutely lovely that your kids are outside being creative.

They're not causing any harm.

TalkToTheHand123 · 12/09/2025 19:16

Sometimes it doesn't rain for days and you have to put up with the hideous grafiti for a long time. Parents shoild be fined and made to wash it off.

Petitchat · 12/09/2025 10:13

marnieMiaou · 11/09/2025 08:16

The pavement is public property. Your neighbours dont need to justify why they don't like your little princess's defacement of it.

Many, many children chalked on the pavement in the 60's, 70's and 80's.
Particularly for the game hopscotch.

So, in your view, thousands of children were "little princesses" ?

You do know that chalk washes off in the rain, don't you?

akkakk · 12/09/2025 10:10

Spirallingdownwards · 12/09/2025 02:51

Sorry - even if the colour the path for the whole street it shouldn't ever be an issue.

It is funny how on this thread and so many others people believe that it has to be 100% one view or 100% the other...

If you want to live sociably with neighbours, it is worth being aware that not everyone thinks the same, and being sensitive to not upsetting people...

of course there is no issue with a kid using chalk on a pavement - but at the same time, for some people it does change their feel for the neighbourhood, so they won't like it...

being sensitive to that is just good manners, it doesn't harm to have a kid colour with chalk on the pavement, equally it doesn't harm to teach a child that the world doesn't revolve around them and they need to be thoughtful in how they do things... so you might get them to do it in some areas and not others - it isn't anti-kids to observe that there are boundaries and some of those boundaries you might not understand or even agree with, but for others they are important... learning tolerance for other views is a good life skill

this insistence on polarisation of views is what breaks down society not builds it up...

Northernladdette · 12/09/2025 10:03

Honing in on the football post, I found a football in my garden, my garden backs onto a fairly busy road. I said “Ah, someone’s lost their football” I then noticed it had broken in half one of my azaleas. My view then changed to “Little bs, kicking their ball
into my garden 😡” 😂😂

Chompingatthebeat · 12/09/2025 09:20

marnieMiaou · 11/09/2025 09:35

Noone would care if they were chalking their own driveway.

Not everyone has a driveway

Chompingatthebeat · 12/09/2025 09:19

marnieMiaou · 11/09/2025 08:24

If it annoys your neighbours, it is by definition antisocial behaviour!

Not everything that annoys people is antisocial

Thissickbeat · 12/09/2025 09:11

Kids are the neighbourhood. The more chalking and playing the better. Away from screens and in the fresh air.

I'm even <<gasp>> happy to lob footballs back to them when they kick them over.

LittleBitofBread · 12/09/2025 09:01

How exactly do kids 'take over the neighbourhood'?

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