Kids chalking on pavement

[Ritascornershop]

My best friend lives in a little estate of row houses with a grassed area in the centre and pavement around the edge with paths off to each of their houses.

Her idiot ex-partner lives with her (for the most part never paying rent or contributing to food and bills). They are just past 50 and never had kids.

The neighbours’ kids are aged around 5-6 and have taken to drawing pictures in chalk on the pavement; animals, houses, and hopscotch squares. They do this in front of a number of houses. My friend’s idiot ex partner has been hosing it off and telling the kids not to do it (& given how often she tells me he shouts about other things I suspect he’s not telling them nicely).

I told her I thought he was mean to hose away their harmless drawings, that she used to chalk draw when she was little, that he fancies himself an artist, and that I think he’s being awful. AIBU?

But it will only be against the law if it amounts to criminal damage or the message itself amounts to a crime. Other than that it is not illegal.

Yes quite. It could be illegal but the run of the mill chalking done by kids will not be.

But the fact so many people appear to want such minor things criminalised really concerns me.

I lived somewhere where the kids would play in street and chalk. I always found it uncomfortable (like someone would come and tell them off). But I try to rationalise my discomfort with the fact that it’s chalk and anything (anything) that gets them out having fun has to be a good thing. It really does wash away quickly.

So I can understand people not loving it, but think anyone who says anything about it needs to give their head a wobble.

I love seeing little ones do this! Some people are just miserable. As a child I spent many quiet hours chalking on the pavement.

I used to know someone who's father used to brush away puddles to stop little ones jumping in them outside his house. Miserable old sod.

This came up time after time at the start of lockdown.

I think that parents ought to be mindful of the fact that not all neighbours like their pavements in front of their homes 'defaced' with chalk.

It can lower the tone and not everyone likes looking at it.

If kids want to chalk, they ought to do it only in front of their own house or in their garden.

Where I've lived for 30 years, no child had ever chalked on the pavements. Then one house came on the market and was bought by a young couple with 2 kids. Within weeks there tiny front garden was full of kids toys and the kids were chalking on the pavement. They seemed to lack sensitivity to what other residents did or might like.

I wouldn't mind the chalk, more children playing right outside my door, but meh. Unless it is 24/7, I think it just counts as part of "it takes a village". I am not much of a kids-person and the "you were a child once" doesn't really fly with me - being born was hardly a decision I was involved in.

But as a society we need children and I'll do my part to try and help them grow up into decent human beings and I think that something we can all reasonably expect from our local communities. If that only involves leaving a few chalk drawings, I will take it (it doesn't in our neighbourhood, the children are far too talkative, we get a running commentary for all drawings )

These threads are always useful in identifying who’d be grassing to the Gestapo if Britain had been invaded during WW2.

lower the tone lowering the tone is not a crime, and is also completely subjective.

I am all in favour of lowering the tone, I am both naturally gifted and practiced at doing this, I hope my neighbours appreciate how hard I work to lower the tone.

Hyacinth Bucket can lump it.

@MakemeaCake

This came up time after time at the start of lockdown.

I think that parents ought to be mindful of the fact that not all neighbours like their pavements in front of their homes 'defaced' with chalk.

It can lower the tone and not everyone likes looking at it.

If kids want to chalk, they ought to do it only in front of their own house or in their garden.

Where I've lived for 30 years, no child had ever chalked on the pavements. Then one house came on the market and was bought by a young couple with 2 kids. Within weeks there tiny front garden was full of kids toys and the kids were chalking on the pavement. They seemed to lack sensitivity to what other residents did or might like.

Why did it bother you though? What impact did it have on your life?

@MakemeaCake

This came up time after time at the start of lockdown.

I think that parents ought to be mindful of the fact that not all neighbours like their pavements in front of their homes 'defaced' with chalk.

It can lower the tone and not everyone likes looking at it.

If kids want to chalk, they ought to do it only in front of their own house or in their garden.

Where I've lived for 30 years, no child had ever chalked on the pavements. Then one house came on the market and was bought by a young couple with 2 kids. Within weeks there tiny front garden was full of kids toys and the kids were chalking on the pavement. They seemed to lack sensitivity to what other residents did or might like.

‘Lower the tone’

Oh, do fuck off Hyacinth.

Within weeks there tiny front garden was full of kids toys and the kids were chalking on the pavement

😂 “bring back the drug dealers” was all we could think

Really like a topic like this as it brings out the maddest Mumsnetters.

'It puts off potential buyers.'

'It's graffiti.'

'The kids should be brought indoors.'

Not that I particularly care, but the kids chalk the paths in my nearby park and it absolutely does NOT disappear in the rain - sometimes it can be there for weeks.

I think that parents ought to be mindful of the fact that not all neighbours like their pavements in front of their homes 'defaced' with chalk.

It can lower the tone and not everyone likes looking at it.

"Lower the tone"? Does anyone really think in those terms these days? How does a temporary drawing that will disappear as soon as it rains do anyone any harm?

There's plenty of stuff around that not everyone likes looking at, we all put up with it. If anyone is so sensitive that a few children's scribbles upset them they need treatment.

I can't believe some people have an issue with kids chalking on the pavements.

This thread has, however, reminded me of the time my parents told me that the only children who chalked on the pavement were those who couldn't afford paper I don't remember ever being allowed to chalk on the pavement, presumably due to that bizarre belief!

I used to do things like this as a child, happy days. Nice to see children off the screens for a while, with the amount of rain we are having these pieces of art won’t be around for long anyway. Who would be such a Scrooge to hose it away, very sad.

@PurpleSapphire

Children playing as children do is undesirable? Really? Personally it makes me smile to see them doing something so simple, not stuck in a dark house glued to an ipad. I'd happily buy a house in a street like that!

Me too ! We loved doing this as children, and I like seeing it on pavements as it is less common now that children are indoors more. It is hardly on a par with graffiti !

only on Mumsnet would you ever see a statement that chalking is illegal.

I’m really curious to find out how it ‘lowers the tone’. Unless they are chalking massive dick pics over the pavement?

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

only on Mumsnet would you ever see a statement that chalking is illegal.

I’m surprised that someone hadn’t suggested ‘phoning 101 to log it’, another piece of MN bullshit lore.

If there were innocent kids pics drawn in chalk on the pavements it would make me think it was a quiet safe area and I'd love to see it. It's nothing at all like cocks drawn in spray paint!

homes defaced with chalk

DEFACED!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Though for some reason my son when he was about four chalked gigantic Ss all over the paving in our backyard. SSSSSS, everywhere (he was learning to write and struggled with this one). And it suddenly occurred to me that my neighbour was Jewish. I really hope she didn't take offence.

@Pedalpushers

Not that I particularly care, but the kids chalk the paths in my nearby park and it absolutely does NOT disappear in the rain - sometimes it can be there for weeks.

Oh lord.. not weeks? How the hell do people manage!

@DismantledKing

a few years ago there was a tv programme called "World's craziest fools" hosted by Mr T.
There was a segment about people who called the police about totally ridiculous nonsense.
The one I still remember is this hysterical person reporting that their snowman was stolen from their front garden.
I shudder to think what utter crap emergency services have to put up with but they played the whole actual conversation and I was wheezing-crying-laughing.