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AIBU?

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Original poster

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:
Vse500 · 09/09/2025 20:24

Am I missing something? We did this all the time as kids! They used to sell pavement chalks especially!

Chompingatthebeat · 09/09/2025 20:24

Happyher · 09/09/2025 19:48

Miserable would be complaining to the child’s parents and washing the whole lot off the pavement. He just wants his own frontage to look clean and tidy without making a fuss

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Not his frontage

Raisetheroof2026 · 09/09/2025 20:23

Anyone that has an issue with it is a genuine twat. Sometimes there are shades of grey. This is not one of those times. Hope this helps.

Letsgoroundagainnow · 09/09/2025 20:23

Autumngirl312 · 09/09/2025 20:17

I had a neighbour like this, they complained when DC would chalk in the street and moan it made the place look a mess. Like you say, it's free, harmless fun that washes away with rain or a bucket of soapy water.

The same people would complain about kids having nothing to do as well

Or being on screens!

Whatisthisstuff · 09/09/2025 20:21

My kids drew a hopscotch outside our house recently, along with other little drawings. And we watched an older gent jump along it as he went down the road 😁

hypnovic · 09/09/2025 20:17

I feel sorry for people this miserable. What a sad life it must be to be annoyed by chalk drawings by children. Wild behaviour

Autumngirl312 · 09/09/2025 20:17

I had a neighbour like this, they complained when DC would chalk in the street and moan it made the place look a mess. Like you say, it's free, harmless fun that washes away with rain or a bucket of soapy water.

The same people would complain about kids having nothing to do as well

Mummytotheboy · 09/09/2025 20:15

Wouldn't bother me at all. Would make a change from the dog shit splattered all over them!

mumofoneAloneandwell · 09/09/2025 20:14

I gasped that the person sprayed the art away

What a fucking twat

Yanbu at all and your kids sound sweet xx

incognitomouse · 09/09/2025 20:12

Burnout50 · 09/09/2025 14:07

Well I love a good rant as much as the next person but this is so totally pointless, I wouldnt even bother.

But you do you... 🙄

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I will, ta.

Happyher · 09/09/2025 19:48

MasterBeth · 09/09/2025 19:34

No, he was a miserable cunt.

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Miserable would be complaining to the child’s parents and washing the whole lot off the pavement. He just wants his own frontage to look clean and tidy without making a fuss

Tinkerbel64 · 09/09/2025 19:44

Obviously these miserable neighbours never had fun when young! This next generation who had so luch fun may be the new artists of our future, leave them alone to have innocent fun drawing & colouring, your neighbours have the the problem no one else did, yes it is a public footpath but it is not owned by them, you or anyone else around you & chalk washes off! I would love seeing & remember the colourful drawings, from my own childhood & my next 3 generations in my life!

Ladamesansmerci · 09/09/2025 19:34

Miserable fuckers. It washes away. The same people moaning are probably the people who also moan about kids on iPads. You can't win.

MasterBeth · 09/09/2025 19:34

Happyher · 09/09/2025 15:30

He was considerate by just washing it off outside his own house without making a fuss

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No, he was a miserable cunt.

MouldyOldBaps · 09/09/2025 19:27

where I live, we actively encourage kids to do this and have communal boxes of chalk! I donated all the chalk my older kids had finished with and it started a collection. We love to see children playing outside and using their imagination.
Your neighbours are grumpy old s**s.

Tuesdayschild50 · 09/09/2025 19:27

Chompingatthebeat · 09/09/2025 15:18

I always have a go if i see a hopscotch

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🤣

ruethewhirl · 09/09/2025 19:23

LittleBitofBread · 09/09/2025 17:56

God, I'd forgotten about this but so did we!

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And me! I’d forgotten all about that!

Flossflower · 09/09/2025 19:07

I can’t get worked up about children chalking on the pavement but we were always told not to do it outside other people’s houses. The pavement belongs to the council.

LSADM · 09/09/2025 18:57

Some people forget what it's like to be a child! If this was perminent marker or spray paint i'd get it but chalk 🤦🏻‍♀️ I know it's September but watching the Grinch might explain it to your child 🙈

Pricelessadvice · 09/09/2025 18:20

Nothingfallingdowntoday · 09/09/2025 17:50

FFS let’s keep them chalking the pavements for as long as possible. Seriously if you have an issue with this temporary marking of a moment of innocent play and joy take a minute to reflect on the meaning of life.

Could always accelerate them to be really antisocial in behaviour…prefer that?

Reflect on the meaning of life because you’d rather not have chalk on the pavement outside your house? Give me a break!

There is more to life than pandering to everything a child wants.

I would NOT wash away the drawing or be mean to the child, but I’d prefer it if they stuck to chalking outside their house. What an evil monster I am! Lock me up and throw away the key! 😂

Mokel · 09/09/2025 18:16

Pancakeflipper · 09/09/2025 12:34

One of the few joys during covid involved the children up our road who chalked a weekly 'obstacle' course on the pavement.

Jump 4 times.
Hop over circle etc.....

Hilarious and many adults followed the instructions when going past their house.

Thankfully no one got grumpy about the chalk.

There is some herringbone paving part of the pavement. Two sisters, guessing 6 and 8 coloured them with chalks in during the first lockdown.

Down my parents' road, someone drew a rainbow on a wall of the back of a property. The property is in the next road and doubt that the residents knew of the rainbow.

pinkpony88 · 09/09/2025 18:02

Isn’t there a hosepipe ban? Should have filmed them 🤣

Lickedthespoon · 09/09/2025 18:01

Imagine how miserable your life must be to wash away kids chalk drawings. Sounds like they could do with joining in and living a little! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Northernladdette · 09/09/2025 17:57

As long as it ends there then fine. Kids in my road then continued to crayon our brick wall. That was another story…..

Letsgoroundagainnow · 09/09/2025 17:57

SanDimasHighSchoolFootballRules · 09/09/2025 17:23

If I got home to find some children had drawn a hopscotch outside my house, I’d hopscotch my way onto my driveway! YANBU op. Your neighbour is miserable and mean.

I said this also, I used to be a top hopscotcher! You never lose it, do you?