Letting children chalk public pavement

[RainbowRanger29]

Hi,

So wondering AITA for allowing my young child (age 5) to draw with chalk on the public pavement?

My child was happy out drawing pictures and writing her name with chalk in the front garden with her little friends from the street. They ran out of space in the garden and continued there colourful chalk drawings along the public pavement outside the house.

No one owns the public footpath (its not anyone's actual property) and they drew along outside around 5/6 houses. They drew rainbows and houses and wrote their names and a hopscotch. Nothing offensive but not exactly amazing art (they are only 5!)

One of the neighbours arrived home and appeared visibly annoyed with the chalk, the kids asked if they like their art and they ignored them, went inside, got their hose and washed the chalk away from the public footpath outside of their house only.

The children were still out drawing and got upset that they had washed it away (mummy didn't they like our pictures? Why are they washing it away? Etc)

We live in the UK and it rains an awful lot! It would have washed away anyway later that evening when it rained ... I think it was mean of them to hose it away in front of the kids (surely they could of waited until the kids had stopped playing?)

Or is it me ... should I have not allowed them to chalk the public footpath?

Is it kids being kids enjoying chalking public areas? I used to do this as a kid and it never seemed to upset anyone? Or is it disrespectful to allow children to chalk on public footpaths outside of other people's home?

Interested on everyone's opinions

It’s called having respect for other people. By all means, chalk your own driveway and outside your house, but the street isn’t your child’s personal canvas.

I was allowed to chalk on our driveway as a child. My mum would not have allowed me to chalk the road, because it’s a shared public space and not mine to scrawl over.

Anyway, I’m happy to be considered a misery arse. Frankly, I call it having respect for people other than yourself.

I'm just really really struggling with figuring out what is so very disrespectful about a bit of coloured-chalk scribble on the pavement.

I can’t imagine being so miserable you don’t like children’s drawings on the street!
My little neighbours chalked their drive and ran out of space- so I let them chalk my drive and the gable end of my house. So lovely to hear them play and be happy in a world of so much sadness.

At least it’s only chalk. When I was young, we used stones to draw hopscotch squares with! Those would’ve taken weeks to wash away 😀 Never got told off for it!

Nice you had a driveway

If I got home to find some children had drawn a hopscotch outside my house, I’d hopscotch my way onto my driveway! YANBU op. Your neighbour is miserable and mean.

I let the kids do it outside in our garden but not near other peoples houses as it does get on shoes etc and causes a mess! They did it on our house bricks and it got everywhere all the dust. Totally coated the ring doorbell. I can imagine if it got on shoes etc and got in to their carpets or whatever it would be annoying but they did go about it the wrong way they could have acknowledged them and washed it off later. Just in future make sure it’s only outside your own house maybe?

behave! are you the grumpy neighbour?

FFS let’s keep them chalking the pavements for as long as possible. Seriously if you have an issue with this temporary marking of a moment of innocent play and joy take a minute to reflect on the meaning of life.

Could always accelerate them to be really antisocial in behaviour…prefer that?

Most people won't have an issue and I wouldn't either. Some people don't like it right outside their house/gate which is their opinion and right not to have it there. Tell the kids they're grumpy in that house and don't like nice pictures so don't draw near that house. It's what I would say to mine. If you look on some house deeds it does extend to the road, our does anyway, even though it's a public path. We used to draw directions in chalk all over the paths 😂. We would avoid outside some people's gates cos they're old and grumpy 😂😂😂 that was back in the 90s. Things never change

I’d love that! They should be encouraged and thanked! After all it’s incredibly temporary

God, I'd forgotten about this but so did we!

😀hardly - as I mentioned (not that I expect people to read accurately!) I have no personal objection...

but living with others means courtesy and thoughtfulness are positives in building neighbourly relationships... so it doesn't harm to be sensitive...

the OP mentions covering the space in front of 5-6 houses... there comes a point when it is not just a child drawing outside their house but taking over the neighbourhood - so, if you have grumpy neighbours they might object - not really rocket science!

and unlikely to be me as we have no pavement outside our house!

I personally don't see anything wrong with this but I probably would limit it to outside my own house just in case and if it wasn't due to rain I would wash away once they were in bed. But that's just me. Our neighbour two doors down let's their grand kids do it but only in front of theirs and then washes away after they go home.

I said this also, I used to be a top hopscotcher! You never lose it, do you?

As long as it ends there then fine. Kids in my road then continued to crayon our brick wall. That was another story…..

Imagine how miserable your life must be to wash away kids chalk drawings. Sounds like they could do with joining in and living a little! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Isn’t there a hosepipe ban? Should have filmed them 🤣

There is some herringbone paving part of the pavement. Two sisters, guessing 6 and 8 coloured them with chalks in during the first lockdown.

Down my parents' road, someone drew a rainbow on a wall of the back of a property. The property is in the next road and doubt that the residents knew of the rainbow.

Reflect on the meaning of life because you’d rather not have chalk on the pavement outside your house? Give me a break!

There is more to life than pandering to everything a child wants.

I would NOT wash away the drawing or be mean to the child, but I’d prefer it if they stuck to chalking outside their house. What an evil monster I am! Lock me up and throw away the key! 😂

Some people forget what it's like to be a child! If this was perminent marker or spray paint i'd get it but chalk 🤦🏻‍♀️ I know it's September but watching the Grinch might explain it to your child 🙈

I can’t get worked up about children chalking on the pavement but we were always told not to do it outside other people’s houses. The pavement belongs to the council.

And me! I’d forgotten all about that!

🤣

where I live, we actively encourage kids to do this and have communal boxes of chalk! I donated all the chalk my older kids had finished with and it started a collection. We love to see children playing outside and using their imagination.
Your neighbours are grumpy old s**s.