To find pavement chalking by neighbour unreasonable?

What the fuck is going so badly wrong with your life that you’d get irritated by children playing with chalk; something that will disappear forever as soon as it rains?

Pour yourself a G&T and stop being an arse.

Soon it’ll be raining every day and the pavements will be clean. Until then, as they say on MN, unclench.

Yes, I get there is a difference. When I was a young woman out at work I lived in some grotty furnished flats and bedsits, encountered children roaming the streets and playing at all times and thought nothing of it but it's not usual in most residential areas where people have back gardens and parks nearby. It's off putting for potential buyers.

There are plenty of areas and housing across the country where a private garden is not available... For instance, high rises, or old buildings converted into urban apartments. If there isn't a park or green space available, the street is a half way viable option where parents can responsibly monitor their kids without having to travel further afield.
There is a lot to be said for tolerance and trust.
And a big difference between chalk and spray paint.

I’m praying the 89 on your name isn’t your birth year because if so, you’re only a few years older than me and I really hope I am not this miserable in my late 30s 🥴

Where do you live? It's very common, admittedly less so these days.

My dd went a walk with me the other evening. She was delighted to see hopscotch’s that kids had chalked on the path. She had a go on each one.
She’s 24!

My mum loves seeing kids doing stuff like this. She’s almost 80 and still talks about how when she was little she chalked numbers round her whole estate. Her mum was waiting at the gate for her with a bucket and a brush and sent her to clean the whole lot off!

I said I have never lived anywhere that it happened, not that I haven't seen it from time to time. I am 76, my mother would never have allowed it but it wasn't an issue because nobody did. When I first had my own home no children played in the street and it was the same when we moved to a bigger house. They played in their back gardens in good weather, indoors if not. When old enough to be out alone they would go to the park, ride bikes, etc.

It’s only chalk! I’m 60 and we used it for pictures and hopscotch.

i know it’s been dry recently but honestly first sign of rain and it’s gone.

some of the kids in my local park write stuff like ‘have a nice day’ on the footpaths. I think it’s cute. During lockdown there was a kid a couple doors down used to draw pictures outside his house. It brightened up a dreary period.

if that’s the worst the kids in your area are doing you’re lucky!!!

Graffiti?! You’re all lost your minds 😂

You’ve never seen children playing on the street? How old are you? I’m 33 and it’s all we did! Running off to knock on our friends doors to get them out, drawing with chalk, sitting on the grass making Daisy chains, riding our bikes and scooters.

This summer, tons of kids on my estate have been out and it’s so refreshing to see! Why wouldn’t you be happy seeing children be children?!

Live on a new build estate, my first mistake was signing up to the estates group WhatsApp chat, my second was telling some miserable old fart to get a hobby after he sent a 500 word message regarding the chalk rainbows that had been drawn on the path just up from his property. It got me removed from the group so maybe not so much of mistake 😂

I just cannot fathom that there are genuinely people worried about children drawing with chalk, I find it absolutely lovely. Seeing them all outside playing together, cute pictures drawn and harmless fun being had. So many kids are sitting indoors gaming/ipad/watching tv and parents get bashed for that too.

Let them be little!

Do they not have a back garden?

I've never lived anywhere that has kids playing out in the street and would not be happy with that.

When I was a child, we lived in a row of about 13 houses, at the end of that row was a square paved area. The paving slabs were white with some pink slabs. There were about 5 that were laid out in a hopscotch pattern. During the holidays, a group of us had been playing hopscotch, chalking in the numbers and then our initials down one side to keep score.

There was houses that had back gardens that opened on to this square. I was playing with a couple of friends when a woman came out from one of the houses, and was yelling at us about making a mess. My friends ran off, I wasn’t fast enough, and she gave me a stiff broom and soapy water and made me scrub it off. It was just numbers, not a massive mess, did not affect her or her property at all. Even now 50 plus years later I remember her name and where she lived. I also remember my mum going to see this woman and making it very clear that I was not to scrub that area ever again.

Get a grip. Honestly. You'd hate my kids btw, if this upsets you

@bdg I think you missed that one ….

Bit late to this, but oh dear! How silly

I have been thoroughly enjoying overhearing the kids on my street playing fun, creative games this summer.

My absolute favourite was driving back from work one afternoon to our residential car park, and 3 of them had installed a "rock exchange sale" on a make shift table hahaha, like a lemonade stall. As in - they were exchanging pebbles from our car park for... other pebbles or trinkets hahaha.
And they were excellent entrepreneurs and peddlers! "Excuse me miss, would you like to sample our finest rocks?" Etc etc haha

I did advise them they should probably move out of the car park near vehicles, dad was currently marching out to get them moving along, but it was bloody brilliant. Highlight of my day. And yes, I managed to exchange a rock which i put on my mantlepiece 🪨 😂 I laughed all evening

Much better than sitting behind an iPad all summer. Good life skills being learnt also

I don’t need to add to the responses about putting up with it, but just wanted to say that you’re justified feeling how you do. Yes it is messy and I wouldn’t like it. But I would grin and bear it because it’s the right thing to do.

I love it when neighbours' children play outside, noisily, happily, with abandon. I would love if they were to use chalk and draw all sorts of things, but they don't. Actually, you gave me an idea - I shall buy some chalk for them!!! Thank you!

You need to get a grip

Good job the OP doesn't live near the white cliffs of Dover.

An iPad wouldn’t help.

Getting kids to stare at a screen instead of scribbling all over the public footpath isn’t much better.

It makes the place look a mess but at least it’s only temporary. Encouraging them to glue themselves to a screen is more harmful by a long way.

Chalk it up to experience. At least it’s not graffiti paint spray! Then you really would have something to crumble about.

Get a grip ffs

Yes, how miserable. Better than sat infront of screens or belting a ball at your fence.
itll rain soon enough so you can look at that instead