Little kids chalking on pavement - is this vandalism?!

[Karlwho]

Kids and their pals are out on the green in front of my house playing. Eldest kids in the group are eight, youngest is six. We live in a quiet little close, I'm hovering around front porch/livingroom window keeping an eye on them (but I'm not out every minute 'what you doing?!' If you get what I mean). Basically i can see them.
Anyway, my kids have got a big buc ket of pavement chalk, the gang aredoodl ing all over my path and house (looks fabulous, budding artists), and they then venture onto the PUBLIC path outside the garden.
Neighbour opposite comes to my door 'I don't know why your children are drawing over my path'. I went and checked that they weren't on HER path, and to make sure they werent drawing the poo emoji/getting creative with curse words etc. They were drawing flowers and boxes. Not in her property. On pathways.
Have I missed something?! Is this not allowed? she was at my door for a good ten minutes going on, and then went to the group of kids to tell them to stay over on 'my side' and not to go near her home.
dont really know if this is an aibu lol

Chalking is definitely not vandalism, it washes away as soon as it rains. As long as it’s not on her path/drive then I can’t see why it would be an issue. Maybe keep them away from the area outside her property though - given that she doesn’t like it. Have you had problems with her before ie is there some kind of ongoing argument, or is it just the chalking?

How daft, it just washes off. Mind you, I put tinsel on the traffic cones when we had roadworks at Christmas.

No it's not vandalism it's kids having fun. Your neighbour sounds like a b. I don't have kids and I've always thought their chalk drawings on the pavements were cute and it's nice to see kids outside.

Ivy44 nah, no arguments, first time I spoke to her was earlier this year when she dropped a letter round to me. Shhe was at the door for a long time then chatting away. Other than that and the occasional 'mornin!' if I'm walking past, this is the se cond time we've spoke. I've only ever seen her around her house though, so I'm assuming she lives alone and like other's have said probab ly just wants a bit of conversation. I'm not planning a vendetta against her or anything lol, and I'm happy she came to me fir st rather than screeching at the kids/playing silly beggars. I was just shocked! Never heard of it before

Not sure whereabouts you are OP but it's meant to rain where I am tomorrow. It'll will all wash away.

It's chalk!

We have boxes of chalk at school and encourage the children to chalk at playtime's! They LOVE it!
It's rarely there next day as even someone walking on it - including wind and rain - it goes really easily.
It's like a permanent blank canvas for creativity.

I'd just make sure they stay within a boundary to keep her off your back.

Chalk a line they can't cross

Go out after dark and write 'killjoy' on her path...

Unless her name is Joy of course. That would be going too far.

youarenotkiddingme

IT'S RAINING!

Well I'm going to be the odd one out here but I don't let my kids Chalk on the pavement.

My garden/driveway is currently covered in chalk drawings but the dc did some on the footpath at the bottom of the driveway and I washed it off.

It don't actually know why because we live in a nice street and I'm sure most people wouldn't mind but there's a couple of people I'm not sure about.

20 years ago we had a neighbour like this. She went nuts at DD drawing on the pavement because 'it makes it look like we live on a council estate'. I pointed out that we did live on a council estate. 'No need to advertise it though, is there?' she shouted back at me.

I am a massive grinch about people not controlling their children adequately and this is an emphatic ‘No, this is perfectly normal and even nice behaviour’. Your neighbour is a loon.

@bollockstobrexit

Although I’m clearly in a very small minority, I don’t like it and don’t find it at all attractive or charming. Having said that, I wouldn’t ever complain to my neighbours about it.

I live at the end of a cul-de-sac so its nice and safe and neighbours kids are regularly out with chalk, making pictures. I think its great they are playing outside rather than iPad-obsessed! It washes off quick enough! She should chill out.

Your neighbour is a horrible person. We all did chalk drawings in the streets as kids. Her too probably.

When my kids were younger in the summer my pathway and drive was covered in chalk drawings, as were all their friends. Once they ran out of room they moved to the pavements. Never once did a neighbour (and there were a lot of elderly people) say anything except to praise the children on how lovely their drawings were.

They want kids to play outside, they don’t want them on electronics all the time, they are taking down so many parks, they can’t roam like we did as children, so when they do play outside they get asked to stop doing something that will wash off with water. The mind boggles!!

Ignore her. My DCs used to do it when they were little and now the children over the road do it, I think it's lovely to see flowers, cars and so on drawn - far better than looking at potholes and utility company pain lines!

Jesus...how sad. Ignore her.

Miserable old bat. Kids have always chalked on pavements.

Isn't there a traditional holiday coming up where you scare off evil spirits by painting stuff (in sand) on your doorstep? Claim religious rights, and that you're going to sue because she's infringing them! That'll shut her up reeeaaaallll fast.

I'd be fine with this. It'll wash off.

What a misery, it’s so nice to see kids being creative.

Chalk drawing & hopscotch on pavements - traditional play, what makes this country great .

We used to do it outside our house as kids and the old grump next door would come out and throw water on it when we were done.
So sad.

We've all seen pics of kids in the war years / 1950s / 1960s playing and chalking the pavements, right ?

This has been a standard thing forever. It would have been done when she was a kid.

She really is being unreaosnable.