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?

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

So if someone painted graffiti on the front of your house, you wouldn't care, because it doesn't affect the house functionally, and it never matters what things looks like?

When you buy clothes, the one characteristic that doesn't matter to you is what they look like?

You would never object to a planned building on the grounds that it was ugly?

I understand there are people who literally don't care what anything looks like, that doesn't mean the people who do are wrong, or can even help how they feel.

I know chalk differs in that it is more temporary, but would you tell people not to object to someone screaming near them because the discomfort is only temporary?

(I'm actually not hugely bothered by chalk, just tired of all the comments from people who claim to have no idea why it might be an issue.)

I think most of the (staunchly working class) people in question would be surprised to find they were being described as snobs for not wanting chalk scrawl everywhere or a paddling pool of screaming kids on a small driveway, but so be it.

Personally, I'm looking forward to moving.

Everyone likes chalk. I hung a bucket of pavement chalk outside my front door for my kids to play with. Pretty soon we had random drawings from postmen/delivery drivers etc on the drive. Loved it.
Let kids (and adults) play.

@Grenlei

I think most of the (staunchly working class) people in question would be surprised to find they were being described as snobs for not wanting chalk scrawl everywhere or a paddling pool of screaming kids on a small driveway, but so be it.

Personally, I'm looking forward to moving.

Yeah, because "staunchly working class" people can't be snobs... 😂😂😂

@RandomLondoner

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

So if someone painted graffiti on the front of your house, you wouldn't care, because it doesn't affect the house functionally, and it never matters what things looks like?

When you buy clothes, the one characteristic that doesn't matter to you is what they look like?

You would never object to a planned building on the grounds that it was ugly?

I understand there are people who literally don't care what anything looks like, that doesn't mean the people who do are wrong, or can even help how they feel.

I know chalk differs in that it is more temporary, but would you tell people not to object to someone screaming near them because the discomfort is only temporary?

(I'm actually not hugely bothered by chalk, just tired of all the comments from people who claim to have no idea why it might be an issue.)

It's pissing chalk!! It gets washed away. Christ almighty. This thread is hilarious 🤣

@Grenlei

I think most of the (staunchly working class) people in question would be surprised to find they were being described as snobs for not wanting chalk scrawl everywhere or a paddling pool of screaming kids on a small driveway, but so be it.

Personally, I'm looking forward to moving.

So kids having fun. I wouldn't class them as snobs. My word of choice would be lot stronger. But my comment would get deleted

SoupDragon Tue 10-Aug-21 09:59:46
Grenlei

I don't find swearing common.

Letting your kids scrawl all over everything (or setting up a pool on your driveway so it's abutting and spilling over onto the pavement, causing a general nuisance) is however. And on the basis of comments I've heard from others locally, most seem to agree - and are glad they don't have to live next door to it.
___

I'm glad I don't live next door to a bunch of snobs!

What has snobbery to do with it? Unless it's the use of the word 'common' but it appears the poster was repeating what someone else had said.

I agree with that poster, I wouldn't like it and nobody would ever call me a snob. It just seems wrong to me but it wouldn't happen anyway so the issue doesn't arise.

Why can the children not play and chalk on the path in their own back gardens? That's what I did when I was a child as did mine and my neighbours' children, and it's what they do now (I can't see into other people's gardens but do sometimes hear children out the back). It's safe and it's private.

@Plumtree391

SoupDragon Tue 10-Aug-21 09:59:46 Grenlei

I don't find swearing common.

Letting your kids scrawl all over everything (or setting up a pool on your driveway so it's abutting and spilling over onto the pavement, causing a general nuisance) is however. And on the basis of comments I've heard from others locally, most seem to agree - and are glad they don't have to live next door to it.
___

I'm glad I don't live next door to a bunch of snobs!

What has snobbery to do with it? Unless it's the use of the word 'common' but it appears the poster was repeating what someone else had said.

I agree with that poster, I wouldn't like it and nobody would ever call me a snob. It just seems wrong to me but it wouldn't happen anyway so the issue doesn't arise.

Why can the children not play and chalk on the path in their own back gardens? That's what I did when I was a child as did mine and my neighbours' children, and it's what they do now (I can't see into other people's gardens but do sometimes hear children out the back). It's safe and it's private.

Some haven't got a back garden. And me and my neighbours find it preferable for all the kids to play out front together than have 8 kids all in one garden.

@RoastedHazelnutLatte

It may make the road look undesirable and put off potential buyers.

Fair play. I once didn't buy the perfect house because a pigeon had landed on the roof. Pigeons are really common birds and I couldn't rely on the buyer's assurances that it would fly off again in a few moments.

A friend of mine once cancelled a sale because when she drove past the house she was buying, the driveway was wet. Aparently the current owners had just washed their car but never given any thought to how the water would make the driveway look untidy for 30 mins.

In a housing boom where people are so keen to buy that estate agents are now talking about taking money from buyers to 'guarantee' a viewing of a house they are interested in, it's really important that children's play is curtailed to support an already highly active industry.

not buying a house because of a pigeon sitting on the roof or water on the driveway way? bloody hell, Precious much?

🤣

Apologies for reusing an overused meme. Imagine this, but perched on a small driveway just big enough for one car. And full of about 20 screaming kids rather than 2 adults.

I'm sure you'd all be absolutely fine with it. That being the case, maybe one of you would like to buy my house and you can live next door to it and I can happily move elsewhere?!

@Grenlei

Apologies for reusing an overused meme. Imagine this, but perched on a small driveway just big enough for one car. And full of about 20 screaming kids rather than 2 adults.

I'm sure you'd all be absolutely fine with it. That being the case, maybe one of you would like to buy my house and you can live next door to it and I can happily move elsewhere?!

but that's nothing to do with kids or chalks. what's your point?

They seemed to lack sensitivity to what other residents did or might like

What other residents might like is completely irrelevant unless they offered to pay their rent or mortgage. The small mindedness of some people defies belief.

I meant kids and chalks

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba in a post upthread I mentioned issues with neighbours who chalk everywhere and also have said pool.

In response, other posters were somewhat sneery about me complaining about either, it's just a bit of water etc. Hence the above post.

@RandomLondoner

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

So if someone painted graffiti on the front of your house, you wouldn't care, because it doesn't affect the house functionally, and it never matters what things looks like?

When you buy clothes, the one characteristic that doesn't matter to you is what they look like?

You would never object to a planned building on the grounds that it was ugly?

I understand there are people who literally don't care what anything looks like, that doesn't mean the people who do are wrong, or can even help how they feel.

I know chalk differs in that it is more temporary, but would you tell people not to object to someone screaming near them because the discomfort is only temporary?

(I'm actually not hugely bothered by chalk, just tired of all the comments from people who claim to have no idea why it might be an issue.)

So if someone painted graffiti on the front of your house, you wouldn't care, because it doesn't affect the house functionally, and it never matters what things looks like?

Ridiculous comparison.

That’s like the difference between someone shooing my cat off the garden and kicking it.

Get some perspective.

I love seeing it - it means that you're living in a nice neighbourhood where children are growing up playing outside in safe streets. Anyone who objects is not the sort of person who would be welcome in our lovely cul de sac.

@Grenlei

but you are bringing in other stuff to make a point.
I don't think most people would like a bunch of screaming kids sitting outside on the pavement, pool or no pool.

But it's a totally different kettle of fish and has zero to do with the original issue.

They seemed to lack sensitivity to what other residents did or might like

Why does this only apply to something like chalk though?

I expect plenty of people hate seeing others hideous 4x4s parked outside or people’s appalling taste in doors/windows/gates/garden features. But they don’t get to dictate on those because they don’t like them.

Chalk is temporary, therefore so much less offensive than any of those things.

YANBU.

I love seeing chalk. During lockdown it became a thing where I live for people do draw outside/ on their drives for other children to see whilst out on walks. A few houses used to do those obstacle course things in chalk for kids to do on the way past.
I can’t believe people are likening it to graffiti. MN is a different planet to the one I live on at times!

This thread is hilarious. @RandomLondoner this is the most stupid ‘whataboutery’ I have seen on Mumsnet in a longtime, and that’s saying something. @Grenlei I imagine your neighbours can’t wait for you to move either. We are not talking about pools in the driveway, maybe start another thread for that one?! 😂

@Matilda15

I love seeing chalk. During lockdown it became a thing where I live for people do draw outside/ on their drives for other children to see whilst out on walks. A few houses used to do those obstacle course things in chalk for kids to do on the way past. I can’t believe people are likening it to graffiti. MN is a different planet to the one I live on at times!

We are not in lockdown now, though, Matilda. All sorts of things became the norm during lockdown, especially last year. For example people standing on their doorsteps banging and cheering for NHS workers. That doesn't happen now and it would be odd if it did.

I don't think the chalking is the issue, it is more about children being outside on the pavement. That would be off putting for a potential house buyer; even if the kids were not out the front when someone came to view, the chalk would be evidence that that happened. In any case there is no need if they have back gardens.

I don't think the chalking is the issue, it is more about children being outside on the pavement. That would be off putting for a potential house buyer; even if the kids were not out the front when someone came to view, the chalk would be evidence that that happened. In any case there is no need if they have back gardens.

🤣🤣🤣

That would be off putting for a potential house buyer

Why is it all about the great god of capitalism? Why shouldn’t the people who live in an area enjoy it in innocent and harmless ways?

Maybe your awful gates/decor put off potential house buyers, but it doesn’t mean anyone has the right to stop you.

That would be off putting for a potential house buyer

Not necessarily. For many parents or potential parents it would be an attraction - what could be nicer than knowing that the area is so safe that children are able to play outside and have the sort of open air, free childhoods they benefited from.