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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in letting my children draw with chalk on the pavement outside our house?

111 replies

elegangle · 02/09/2011 17:09

I've just had a mouthful of abuse form a couple of neighbours regarding our 2 children (7 & 5) drawing pictures with lumps of chalk found in the garden. We've let them draw on the driveway which leads up to the house but is not technically part of our property and a lady accross the road has asked them to come over and draw on the pavement that runs alongside her fence. Personally I don't understand the 'upset' that this is causing, they are pictures of animals, cars, planes etc. They have not written FUCK OFF or anything offensive but seemingly we are causing offense by allowing this. We live in a cul-de-sac of mixed council and ex-council houses.
So, AIBU in letting our kids have a bit of fun drawing pictures that'll be washed away in the next rainfall or should I stop them?

OP posts:
GotArt · 02/09/2011 19:00

I remember a couple of adults when I was a kid that would go mental over our chalk drawings and it always miffed me how it could enrage someone.

If I came upon those thousands of chalked penis' and balls, I would laugh my ass off. Grin eyes daughter's box of sidewalk chalk

AnotherJaffaCake · 02/09/2011 19:04

I let DD and DS draw on the patio in our garden, but wouldn't let them draw on tarmac as it doesn't come off so easily. DD and one of her friends did a lot of chalking around our garden a few weeks ago, and it hasn't washed off yet, but I don't really care - it is only chalk and it will come off eventually.

ouryve · 02/09/2011 19:07

We let DS1 draw in our yard with chalk, but not outside. He's banned at the moment, anyhow, for drawing on the walls because that doesn't bloody wash off when it rains!

ViolaTricolor · 02/09/2011 19:08

YANBU, I would love to see that. We used to chalk on beach pebbles when I was a kid, it was a great consolation for lack of sand.

GypsyMoth · 02/09/2011 19:09

No, it doesn't wash off as well as when we were kids it seems!!

And it IS a bit of an eyesore, kids pictures aren't quite so endearing when it's not your own kids who have drawn them

activate · 02/09/2011 19:10

there have been chalk drawings outside our house for the last 15 or so years (since DS1 was about 2)

I'd love to see someone try to complain

it just washes away in the rain - some people are idiots who should be ignored

HeidiKat · 02/09/2011 20:16

YANBU, one of the streets near me had children's chalk drawings on it for most of the summer holidays, our schools have been back for a couple of weeks here and there are no signs of them anymore so they must wash away pretty easily. It's not harming anyone, it's just chalk, let them get on with it.

Fimbo · 02/09/2011 20:27

It doesn't wash off well from block paving.

elah11 · 02/09/2011 20:37

My kids love drawing on the path with chalk , as do all the other kids in our estate. I cannot believe anyone would be annoyed or offended by small childrens pictures, I personally love to see it! FFS they could be mugging old ladies or something, then there would be something to moan about, but chalk pictures?????? Confused

HeadfirstForHalos · 02/09/2011 20:55

After reading this thread, at 6pm I took the dc outside and we have chalked on the pavements for over 2 hours Grin

We even used the genius suggestion of writing messages asking people to clear up after their dogs (though dd1 and her friend from next door got a little carried away and circled all the poos up the street and put arrows pointing at themHmm)

HeadfirstForHalos · 02/09/2011 20:56

Our front wall is beautifully decorated with rainbows, flowers and sunshine too Grin

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 02/09/2011 20:58

I'd still do a hopscotch if I saw one on the pavement... Blush

Chalk isn't permanent and it's very rarely offensive.

HeadfirstForHalos · 02/09/2011 20:59

Oh yes, I the dc did a grand hopscotch too!

CardyMow · 02/09/2011 21:07

If chalking on pavements is wrong, then IABU too. My dc often spend an afternoon drawing chalk pictures on my patio, and also out in the carpark - but only in the parking space for our house. I see nothing wrong with it - especially when it can amuse 5 dc for an entire afternoon! And they weren't little dc either - My 13yo DD, 12yo twin girls, 9yo DS1 and 7yo DS2. We had everything from rainbows to pikachu, I heart Justin Bieber to the daleks.

OP - YANBU, your neighbours are miserable bastards. It's not as if it's a can of bloody spray paint, is it?!

vividgingerchilli · 02/09/2011 21:10

YANBU - not at all.
Some people won't like it but they need to lighten up a bit and accept that it will be washed away.

vividgingerchilli · 02/09/2011 21:10

Headfirst, your house sounds like mine :)

AgentZigzag · 02/09/2011 21:11

Even though I agree with what you're saying elah, I'm not sure saying they'd just be out mugging old ladies if they weren't drawing with chalk adds anything to the argument for them to be allowed to do it Grin

vividgingerchilli · 02/09/2011 21:11

Fimbo, my DC had a friend over and they did a lovely pastel pattern on our block paved drive, it was gone that night when it rained - you can just about see that there was once colour on it but not so much that it won't come off with some more rain.

vividgingerchilli · 02/09/2011 21:12

It's also better than the spray paint that the utilities use to mark where they are going to dig!!!

DizzyKipper · 02/09/2011 21:19

How could anyone be angry at the pure, innocent joy of some children drawing with chalk on the pavement? Confused It's not as though they're drawing all over somebody else's property or it's permanent. YANBU, and what miserable buggers!

Indaba · 02/09/2011 22:51

You are being completely unreasonable.

How bloody dare your children write in chalk, which washes away

Bind up and gag your children now...heaven knows they might even laugh or talk and offend your poor neighbours ears.

Tip toe and talk in whispers you uncaring person! What are you thinking? And what ever you do.....do NOT let them play in your back garden. Heaven forbid.

SHAME ON YOU!

CalamityKate · 03/09/2011 00:53

YANBU, and you've just reminded me of when I was little, and my Mum was visiting an elderly neighbour, and I got bored and went outside, and found a piece of chalk and started drawing on the pavement.

And Mum came outside when it was time to go home, and almost had a fit when it became apparent that the "chalk" I'd been using was in fact a white dog poo.

IHeartKingThistle · 03/09/2011 01:15

It wouldn't occur to me that this was anything other than lovely. In fact, I've decided, we're doing it tomorrow!

BabyDubsEverywhere · 03/09/2011 01:26

Im so disapointed with this thread....

....I thought for sure this would kick off....

Just what has mumsnet become :(

Grin
midlandsmumof4 · 03/09/2011 01:28

Where can I buy coloured outdoor chalk..Grin.