to let my children chalk on the pavement?

[Sampanther]

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?

flaming y fronts...love it

"I loved watching grown men hopscotching as they get to our house."
Jas

I'd probably hopscotch too if I came across it on the pavement

YANBU.

Some people just like to have things to moan about.

I think it's fine for kids to draw on the pavement, it's not permanent and it's hurting no one. Some people need to chill....

She should think herself lucky, my DCs were chalking on the pavement and drive. One of teen DS's friends drew a big spunking cock and added the words 'ds loves cock' and when I arrived home with my two younger ones and the children I childmind I was mortified.

Luckily his friend has terrible writing and one of the mindees read it out aloud 'ds loves cake'

I would think a neighbour who complained was a moany arse (it's chalk ffs!) but, if I knew it bothered them i'd keep the chalking restricted to my property.

I personally love walking to work through our estate and having a go at a chalked-on hopscotch in heels Disclaimer: I leave early, nobody is around!

The sort of people that would complain about children chalking on a pavement are the ones who also complain they are always watching tv and on computers too much. Ignore them or ask what they did in their childhood.

LyndaCartersBigPants

Sorry but that did make me chuckle

Well who doesn't love a big cake Lynda

Mine did this in OUR garden but on the neighbours wall - it's a staggered terrace and this wall is the boundary . He can't see it from his house or garden . He threw a totally strop and carried on as if my kids had taken to his property with a sledge hammer . We washed it off and sucked it up . The same bastard neighbour put a new fence over Easter when we were away - and took a over a foot of my garden .
Of course we just sucked that up too . It's not worth falling out with the people you live next to. What's the point in chasing misery ?
I get revenge though - my kids are soon to be teenagers - I reckon the rows we have coming will rock the party walls!

Ignore her, unless they draw anything offensive she is being very unreasonable.

Wait until she's hanging her washing, then go outside and have a loud phone conversation about how some people are just so sad and pathetic they'll moan about anything. Or I'm sure you can think of some more creative

Blimey. DD1 and I do hopscotch grids all the time. More often on private ground, but we've had plenty of nice comments so far. Usually along the lines of "it's nice seeing little ones being taught traditional games" or "being active". She does sound a bit of a misery. Would a card with a lovely picture drawn by your DCs cheer her up?

I have friends who would delight in drawing very bad pictures just for the hell of it....including me!!

Waltons, backing off over chalk is one thing, but you let them take a foot of land?!? Bloody hell, if you're in the south let me know, I'll go at them for you!!

OP I think YANBU. I can't see any harm with chalk, as it will wash off in the rain.

An alternative though, if you want one, is to give your kids a bucket of water and paintbrush, although it only works on some surfaces. It used to keep my DC happy for hours, and no clearing up!

Yanbu. It's easily removed (when it rains) and keeps kids of all ages entertained for a considerable amount of time. all the kids down our road come over to draw out the front, all the way down the path in front of about 15 houses. It's great! Dd gets to do something with her friends, ds can scribble as much as he likes without getting told off (big furniture scribbler) and dts can mark make to their hearts content.

I guess the only thing you could do is wash it off each evening when they come in - chucking a bucket of water over and sweeping it with a broom is more than adequate, even for crushed chalk.

What sort of nasty bitch posts back a child's picture. Fuck her - I'd get great satisfaction in knowing it pissed her off.

We used to do it when we were children but I have never seen it here. I let ds chalk on the driveway and then hose it off. Our neighbours wouldn't say anything but I suspect they wouldn't like it on the pavements.

There's a pavement on the way to the shops near us which often has chalk drawings or grids in dry weather.

Makes me grin.

"The same bastard neighbour put a new fence over Easter when we were away - and took a over a foot of my garden . Of course we just sucked that up too . It's not worth falling out with the people you live next to"
Seriously Waltons? That IS worth fallong out over!! What do you think will happen when you or your neighbours decide to sell? Massive legal bills to establish the correct boundary, that's what! Rip his fence out of your garden and toss it back onto his land!

Problem is this though guys -
I mention me shrinking garden and he then will be the neighbour from hell . My kids love playing out and I know he will bitch at them and create imaginary issues .
I am mulling over the options . Is it now my fence as its clearly on my land ? If so I see a huge chalk board opportunity !

Oh god ! And I was resigning myself to just living with it and now you guys have restirred my grrr

OhFFS! How bloody miserable do people want to be?

She must be very, very screwed up and

I'm on systems bench , please.