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AIBU?

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Original poster

To find pavement chalking by neighbour unreasonable?

414 replies

Hanji83 · 19/08/2026 20:29

We are in a row of houses which have a footpath running in front of the road with a grassed area either side. One of the neighbours has two kids, who for the past week have been drawing on the pavement using chalk. It looks an utter mess. Would it be wrong of me to say something to the parents?

OP posts:
Parker231 · 19/08/2026 21:17

Hanji83 · 19/08/2026 20:32

Ok, clearly there’s a strong disagreement. No it’s not a reverse. It does look a mess. But clearly I’m being harsh so I won’t approach my neighbour or argue with everyone on here.

You say to your neighbour how lovely it is to see children having fun outdoors

Zov · 19/08/2026 21:17

Hanji83 · 19/08/2026 20:29

We are in a row of houses which have a footpath running in front of the road with a grassed area either side. One of the neighbours has two kids, who for the past week have been drawing on the pavement using chalk. It looks an utter mess. Would it be wrong of me to say something to the parents?

Those evil little shits! 😆

hockityponktas · 19/08/2026 21:18

What a lovely summer holiday activity for the children! And so lucky to have a place outside their home that is safe enough to play.
or would you prefer it if they were inside on iPads op?

Clafoutie · 19/08/2026 21:19

ConstantlyFuriosa · 19/08/2026 21:08

I think it’s probably more noticeable because the lack of rain has meant it’s not getting washed away. Possibly best not to talk to the neighbour, though. Hopefully rain is on the way.

Show quote history

Why is it even a problem though? Why do we have to hope for rain to come soon to solve it? ( we need rain, but for much more important reasons)

ThunderThunderThunderThunderCats · 19/08/2026 21:23

It’s CHALK!

TheChosenTwo · 19/08/2026 21:24

Mourningmorningsleep · 19/08/2026 21:11

Sometimes a child near me draws a hopscotch and I've seen so many adults do the hopscotch when they though no one was looking. Love it.

Same here, I still can’t resist a chalk drawn hopscotch! Sometimes the kids round here draw them reeeeally long and I do spins while I complete the hopscotch too 😂😂
op you’re a misery. Maybe go and get some and join in yourself, it’s harmless fun.

ConstantlyFuriosa · 19/08/2026 21:25

Clafoutie · 19/08/2026 21:19

Why is it even a problem though? Why do we have to hope for rain to come soon to solve it? ( we need rain, but for much more important reasons)

Show quote history

I’m just hoping for rain in general! I’ve got rain on the brain.

Netire · 19/08/2026 21:25

I was expecting them to have written the world’s most offensive words with an arrow pointing to your house after reading the title. Get a grip OP.

Sweetdreamsbeautifulnightmare · 19/08/2026 21:25

Maybe you’d rather they spray painted graffiti on your front door?

Get a grip it’s chalk and it washes away!!

scalt · 19/08/2026 21:26

Once again, the Covidians are bored, and wish that lockdown lasted for ever.

BoarBrush · 19/08/2026 21:26

A wee lad round the corner, he's 13/14, drew a big (as in 5/6ft long) spunking cock a couple of years ago in amongst his sisters hopscotch etc. I did think that was too much.

ZoeCM · 19/08/2026 21:27

Jesus Christ, OP, it's just chalk! What do you think is going to happen as a result? Someone will walk past and be horrified at the sight of chalk drawings?

ClaredeBear · 19/08/2026 21:27

One of the most wholesome activities and you have to be like this.

AgentPidge · 19/08/2026 21:27

I agree with the others about it being harmless fun, but my DH would agree with you, OP. He used to get really annoyed at what he saw was the unsightly mess of chalk drawings on the pavements where we used to live. I think it was partly because the pavements aren't owned by those children - he thought they should do it on their own property (patio) rather than inflict it on him.

But there you go - we all have little things that get on our nerves.

mamakoukla · 19/08/2026 21:29

Oh gosh. Life’s too short. Let the kids enjoy their childhood. It’s all too brief

Shloopie · 19/08/2026 21:29

YANBU

I also hate hearing children laughing, I'm disgusted when I see them neat as pins on the first day of school, I retch when I see little siblings holding hands and I lose my lunch when I encounter children skipping merrily down the street.

DropEmOut · 19/08/2026 21:29

There’s a hopscotch type activity course which has been drawn down my road. Different kids seem to add to it. It’s absolutely brilliant.

I see adults and kids completing it. It’s brings a small bit of joy.

lighten up, it’ll be washed away soon.

Gonners · 19/08/2026 21:29

Laughing at the hopscotch posts. I'm in my 70s and still delighted to hippety-hop through one. Being shameless, I don't even care if anyone's looking.

vodkaredbullgirl · 19/08/2026 21:29

😂

Calm Down Chill Out GIF by CBS
Dobeebeedah · 19/08/2026 21:30

In Glastonbury lots of people do pavement art. It's beautiful and doesn't last long, not even overnight. Get over yourself and let the children play. We used to chalk hopscotch squares on the pavement.

Tunnocksmallow · 19/08/2026 21:30

Today chalk, tomorrow coke dealing on the corner. Nip it in the bud now OP. These kids will soon be ruling the streets… FFS. This site gets worse and worse.

vickylou78 · 19/08/2026 21:30

Good lord Op what a killjoy you must be!!! Upset about chalk drawing on the pavement? You literally can't get more wholesome activity than that! Unless they are drawing obscene images then what's the issue?
It literally washes off the next time it rains. Does zero damage to anything.

Itsbeenalongtimeincoming · 19/08/2026 21:31

What is wrong with people? Seriously it would never enter my mind that it was a ‘mess’ nor ask for advise abiut whether to say anything or not on a forum.

OP this is Honestly one of the most ridiculous posts ever.

Good on kids being creative, being outside, being harmless etc.

Cluelessfirstimer · 19/08/2026 21:33

You know when you get those moments in life where youre like am i an unreasonable person?

Then you find threads like this and your like nah im fine 🤣

NotAnotherScarf · 19/08/2026 21:34

Just to piss the op off, during lockdown we gave the kids around us Street chalk we'd ordered in error (wanted normal blackboard chalk). She'd be going nuts! 😂