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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Intolerant neighbour disgusted by chalk drawings.

267 replies

Milsey13 · 17/06/2022 13:00

We've been living in a lovely community Cresent of flats where everyone knows everyone, families, couples and elderly. Our children are good natured, caring and kind. They play outside together and all neighbours are used to them and love seeing their chalk drawings, especially through lockdown. We have since had a new neighbour. On first meeting he revved his engine and sped up going very close to my son who was chalk drawing, he always moves out of the way but had very little time. My son was a little stunned. The neighbour then walked towards him glaring at him like he was a juvenile delinquent. I looked at him with raised eyebrows and the neighbour started ranting at me that the chalks are disgusting and he's sick of seeing them when he comes home and we should not be playing outside and to go to the park etc etc. He was very aggressive. I suggested he need to be more tolerant as we are a diverse community with families and those without children have always enjoyed their drawings. He said we have no respect and he will be complaining about us etc etc. My son is autistic and very gentle and kind but is now to scared to go outside incase he sees us. I feel the neighbours aggression and driving was far more disgusting than children chalk drawing. My son is known for his amazing drawings and it's been encouraged as part of his play therapy, so it was very confusing that someone would refer to art as disgusting. The irony also is, that my son has a fantastic engineering brain and it turns out the complaining neighbour is an ecologist and environmental engineer promoting a greener future! Yet, he's revving his engines and intimidating young children! I just can't get over it!

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 17/06/2022 16:30

WibblyWobblyJane · 17/06/2022 16:29

Did anyone ask for a diagram?

OP's DS is probably drawing one to scale as we speak. It'll be the best damn diagram you ever did see.

Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 17/06/2022 16:34

girlmom21 · 17/06/2022 16:30

OP's DS is probably drawing one to scale as we speak. It'll be the best damn diagram you ever did see.

Dying!

JinglingHellsBells · 17/06/2022 16:38

But surely drawing painting, doing whatever on communal space is graffiti? How is it any different?

It's not your personal space or property. And parents should assume neighbours are ok about it.

Taking it to an extreme, you might have planned and planted your front garden, bought fencing, hung baskets or tubs around, made it look lovely. Then you come home to some kid's art work all over the outside of your house.

If every kid in every house in the street did it, the whole ambience would change.

Buy a blackboard, chalk on your own patio, etc.

TitsInAbsentia · 17/06/2022 16:38

Only here for the diagram...OP is taking their time 😂

Zwellers · 17/06/2022 16:49

Why should your child be given free reign to graffiti public property. Keep the drawings to your own drive. Issue gone.

PansyPetunia · 17/06/2022 16:52

If the kid writes offensive words and draws a huge penis then the lovely inclusive community would soon change stance

I bet that's what he's drawing!

TwinklingFairyLights · 17/06/2022 17:14

PansyPetunia · 17/06/2022 16:52

If the kid writes offensive words and draws a huge penis then the lovely inclusive community would soon change stance

I bet that's what he's drawing!

It's art though. Op's son is a child genius.

blue421 · 17/06/2022 17:15

TitsInAbsentia · 17/06/2022 16:38

Only here for the diagram...OP is taking their time 😂

Much as I love a diagram, I think the only option here is a panoramic photo of the chalk fine art in all its glory....

(yes, I am a little jealous as I'm dreadful at art but I wouldn't truthfully want the pavement permanently covered in chalk either).

WibblyWobblyJane · 17/06/2022 17:18

JinglingHellsBells · 17/06/2022 16:38

But surely drawing painting, doing whatever on communal space is graffiti? How is it any different?

It's not your personal space or property. And parents should assume neighbours are ok about it.

Taking it to an extreme, you might have planned and planted your front garden, bought fencing, hung baskets or tubs around, made it look lovely. Then you come home to some kid's art work all over the outside of your house.

If every kid in every house in the street did it, the whole ambience would change.

Buy a blackboard, chalk on your own patio, etc.

Yes, and leaves falling off of your trees is littering.
Pick that shit up.

newnamethanks · 17/06/2022 17:23

Are all you YABUs unwell? It's CHALK for crying out loud. Go and wash your nets.

WibblyWobblyJane · 17/06/2022 17:24

newnamethanks · 17/06/2022 17:23

Are all you YABUs unwell? It's CHALK for crying out loud. Go and wash your nets.

Same people probably think speaking in public is noise pollution.

Sortilege · 17/06/2022 17:32

Whether you're in the road or not, driving AT a child is pretty shit.

OP sounds such a Luna Lovegood, though, that I’m not sure she’s a reliable narrator.

PaddingtonBearStareAgain · 17/06/2022 17:34

newnamethanks · 17/06/2022 17:23

Are all you YABUs unwell? It's CHALK for crying out loud. Go and wash your nets.

How about children don't play in roads/areas where cars drive so they have to move out of the way.

People would be up in arms if a child got hurt!

AnnunciataCoquetti · 17/06/2022 17:36

This thread is petit-bourgeois bingo. Ooh, nasty, dirty chalk making the pavements of our nice little cul de sac look all messy. This kind of thing is why you need to take your shoes off as soon as you get inside.

Not that long ago, there would have been a load of batshit posters saying chalk transmits Covid.

PAFMO · 17/06/2022 17:52

AnnunciataCoquetti · 17/06/2022 17:36

This thread is petit-bourgeois bingo. Ooh, nasty, dirty chalk making the pavements of our nice little cul de sac look all messy. This kind of thing is why you need to take your shoes off as soon as you get inside.

Not that long ago, there would have been a load of batshit posters saying chalk transmits Covid.

How dare you!
It's not a cul-de-sac, it's a crescent
And it's not chalk. It's art. Amazing art.
The only bourgeois (petit or otherwise) is the pretentious OP. Who has disappeared. But caused lots of new posters to sign up to MN.
So that's lovely.

AnnunciataCoquetti · 17/06/2022 17:58

PAFMO · 17/06/2022 17:52

How dare you!
It's not a cul-de-sac, it's a crescent
And it's not chalk. It's art. Amazing art.
The only bourgeois (petit or otherwise) is the pretentious OP. Who has disappeared. But caused lots of new posters to sign up to MN.
So that's lovely.

Also caused lots of posters who have been here for 20 years to NC for the fifth time this week. Grin

oldstudentmum · 17/06/2022 19:30

It’s not spray paints, I have neighbourhood kids that do this it’s nice , children should be able to play outside their homes, reclaim the streets! Fuck the Twat . I would love someone to chalkdraw (you can get chalk in cans washes off) a big Willy on his car and slogan I’m saving the earth ! Fwiw I’m a car owner

PansyPetunia · 17/06/2022 19:37

Why did so many new posters join and have this thread as the first (and only) thread to post on??

chiffchaffchiff · 17/06/2022 20:21

The comparisons to graffiti are crazy. Chalk washes off... spray paint doesn't Confused

HikerSpiker · 17/06/2022 21:15

oldstudentmum · 17/06/2022 19:30

It’s not spray paints, I have neighbourhood kids that do this it’s nice , children should be able to play outside their homes, reclaim the streets! Fuck the Twat . I would love someone to chalkdraw (you can get chalk in cans washes off) a big Willy on his car and slogan I’m saving the earth ! Fwiw I’m a car owner

Wine and sun together today?

ventreàterre · 17/06/2022 21:21

Yeah, another one here who's not sure what "diversity" has to do with it. "Diverse" as in some homes house families with children and others are just adults?

It's not a wonderful idea to have children playing or drawing in the street where people are driving. If he has to move out of the way of vehicles in the current drawing spot, I'd find a safer place for him to do his chalk drawings.

AnnunciataCoquetti · 17/06/2022 22:49

PansyPetunia · 17/06/2022 19:37

Why did so many new posters join and have this thread as the first (and only) thread to post on??

They didn't. They're most likely old lag serial name-changers. I, for one, fall into that category. 20 years and counting.

PansyPetunia · 18/06/2022 00:46

Hmm they did

Joust to post here then gone again

Interesting. Also interesting the op never came back...

ThreeImaginaryBoys · 18/06/2022 09:38

girlmom21 · 17/06/2022 15:07

@ThreeImaginaryBoys it's shit if people are walking chalk through their houses, getting it in their cars or whatever. It doesn't have to be toxic if it's inconvenient

Rather chalk on my shoes than oil from someone's car.

girlmom21 · 18/06/2022 09:57

@ThreeImaginaryBoys fortunately it's not an either/or situation.