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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let my children chalk on the pavement?

74 replies

Sampanther · 22/04/2014 22:01

My dc love drawing on the path outside our house with chalk. The path serves only our house plus two others, so is seen by very few people. Today I was hanging my washing out and heard my neighbour talking on the phone about how my dc had been 'vandalising' outside her house again and how she'd be telling me to put a stop to it if it happened again. I suspect she knew I was there and it was her passive aggressive way of telling me to make them stop.

If it were outside her house directly (it's not) or offensive words or pictures (actually it's generally their names/flowers/hearts/animals) then I could understand, but surely letting children chalk on paths isn't wrong? Aibu to politely tell her they won't be told to stop if she broaches it with me next time?

OP posts:
SystemIDUnknown · 22/04/2014 22:03

Yanbu.

If they were splashing gloss paint around I'd say she has a point. But it's chalk! Tell the old bag to get a grip.

Purpleroxy · 22/04/2014 22:04

Have you got an alternative place to chalk, like a back patio?

Who does the path belong to?

brokenhearted55a · 22/04/2014 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SystemIDUnknown · 22/04/2014 22:05

OR sneak outside now and draw a huge spunking cock outside her door. If she's going to whinge, give her something to whinge about.

WhereYouLeftIt · 22/04/2014 22:05

Ah, chalking the pavement! I remember it well! Drawing pictures, or more usually the hopscotch grid.

Your neighbour is being a bit of an arse here. It is hardly vandalising, it washes away with the next shower of rain. I wouldn't be telling them to stop either, but I doubt she'll ask you to your face. Ignore, ignore.

thebodydoestricks · 22/04/2014 22:05

Of course it's fine, we do it at school for numeracy.

My kids did it for hop scotch as did I.

As soon as it rains it goes.

Bet she did it too as a kid.

Daft mare, ignore her

thebodydoestricks · 22/04/2014 22:07

system grin

Gurnie · 22/04/2014 22:07

It wouldn't bother me at all, I'd think it was lovely. Otoh I probably would discourage them from doing it outside a house where someone objected even though I would think they were being quite mean and pathetic!

thebodydoestricks · 22/04/2014 22:07

Grin oops.

gamerchick · 22/04/2014 22:07

I've encountered this before.. I was pregnant with my second and my daughter liked to chalk outside our house. The neighbours really threw a shitfit and I remember doing something resembling the box splits with a big belly washing it off with a sponge. Hmm wouldn't do it now mine.. it's fucking chalk, it will wash away with the rain.

Tell them to knob off.. it's a really odd thing to whinge about.

Ruushii · 22/04/2014 22:08

Just make painting it away with water part of the game too then everyone is happy.

Linskibinski · 22/04/2014 22:08

system ooh you are hilarious I almost wee'd Grin

FunnyFoot · 22/04/2014 22:08

I have wonderful memories of doing this as a child. YANBU.
It will wash away.

Give her an alternative. Quiet chalk drawing or noisy light sabres/lasers guns/bop it (damn fecking thing) out side her house. Smile

ACatCalledColin · 22/04/2014 22:09

I loved doing this as a kid. Nobody complained.

Tell the stupid cow to stop being so miserable.

Heathcliff27 · 22/04/2014 22:10

No yanbu. We had a similar problem a couple of years ago, my kids and their friends were chalking on the path outside our house (row of terraced houses). One of the neighbours a few doors up had a go at them all for drawing on the pavement. I went up and told him to let them be kids and if he'd prefer i'd teach them how to let the air out his tyres instead. He soon fucked off.

5madthings · 22/04/2014 22:11

Yanbu my kids have spent ages this holiday chalking on our driveway and the bit of pavement out the front of our house. Other kids in our cul Dr sac have been doing it as well. Poundland had biz boxes of pavement chalk so I got a few and they have all loved it.

My mil didn't like it, Saud it 'lowered the tone'.. whatever.

Jas · 22/04/2014 22:12

I live on a terrace, and my old next door neighbour made a huge fuss about this. She actually came out with a bucket of water and a broom and washed the chalk off the path....
After that I drew lines at either side, and they only ever drew on the bit directly outside our house.
I loved watching grown men hopscotching as they get to our house.

Thankfully mean neighbour moved away Smile

ballstoit · 22/04/2014 22:15

Yanbu. My neighbours also moan about my DC drawing...on my own driveway Confused

motherofmonster · 22/04/2014 22:16

lowered the tone lol, your mil sounds like my ex mil
its kids drawing pictures of flowers, houses, rabbits and robots ffs.
Unless your kids are 18 and drawing gang signs and gigantic cock and balls pics i think people should just chill out.

We did have this problem when the teenages next door decided to make a 5ft snow willy which was a bit hard to explian to my then 3 year old lol

ThePinkOcelot · 22/04/2014 22:17

I remember doing that when I was a kid. I must admit, I haven't seen it for years.
It does look a bit "messy" I think, but not for long as it washes off with the rain. I wouldn't stop a child or complain about them doing it.

5madthings · 22/04/2014 22:19

WEll ds2 did draw picture of flaming pants, big pair of y fronts with flames! But it was mainly dinosaurs and hop scotch and faces etc. I isn't give a shit what people think tub it kept my lot entertained for hours and it washes off, what's not to like?

WooWooOwl · 22/04/2014 22:19

If it's your property, then YANBU.

If it's public land, then your neighbour has as much right to dislike it as you have to think it's ok. Personally, I'd respect my neighbours wishes and buy some big paper instead. Even if I did think she was a miserable old moany arse.

whitepuddingsupper · 22/04/2014 22:21

YANBU, the kids in my old street used to do that, I liked walking past the drawings on the way to the shop it brightened up my day. Some people are only happy if they're moaning.

Original poster
Sampanther · 22/04/2014 22:22

Ha 5madthings she said it lowered the tone too!

The path goes from the communal car park to three houses. Ours is the first house, so I let them chalk from the car park entrance to our front window. They like to see how long it survives so making them wash it off seems mean.

She is a misery. She had grandkids so dd thought she liked children and once drew a picture of/for her pet dog and posted it through her letterbox. She posted it back through ours Shock Luckily dd was at school so didn't know, but still...

OP posts:
Layla30 · 22/04/2014 22:22

A few years ago it was on the news that some children had been reported for drawing on pavements in their street with chalk and the police got involved. Apparently they were told they shouldn't be doing it.
I only remember this so well because my then 5 year old DD saw our neighbours son chalking on the pavement and dialled 999!!!

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