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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

.... to let my children draw with chalk on the pavement?

93 replies

FourArms · 20/07/2008 21:01

A neighbour of mine made a lot of comments last time the kids down the street drew on the pavement with chalk. Unfortunately that time it was actually a bag of plasterboard they'd found somewhere , which didn't wash off for ages, but I didn't have a problem with it. Neither did any of the other mums on the road who also watched them doing it. In fact, I thought writing slow down at the start of our cul-de-sac on the road was a good idea.

Anyway, yesterday I let my 2 yr old draw on the pavement outside my house with some chalk. Before I knew it 6 other children had also joined in, and had a lovely time drawing, playing hopscotch and writing their names etc. Proper ELC blackboard chalk, so will wash off next time it rains.

Cue a knock on the door and some sarky comments from the same neighbour about how it's not on to let them do this and makes the place look a real mess. AIBU to let them do this?

OP posts:
tearinghairout · 20/07/2008 21:57

It's fine if you wash it off after a while. If it's just left it does look a mess, and not fair on the neighbours.

PollyPentapeptide · 20/07/2008 21:57

YANBU at all, it sounds like great fun.

Last year, our car (which was a bit of an old banger) was being towed off for scrap but before it went we invited all the neighbours kids round to decorate it before it got towed away.

We had about 20 kids who all brought their own paint and paint brushes and they painted every (and i mean EVERY) surface of the car.

It took the best part of an afternoon and it looked fantastic being towed off out the estate, we still had a few neighbours tutting about it though but what the hell it had to do with them I will never know.

Well done, on allowing your kids to have a great time (and sod the neighbours)

MrsWeasley · 20/07/2008 22:01

I got some great pavement chalks last year from the £1 shop or it could have been the 99p shop not sure which.

I let my DC chalk outside (DH doesn't like it though.) Mine only do it in our garden but I dont have a problem with it being done outside on the pavement as long as there are no rude words!

If my neighbour really objected I would give DC a big bucket of soapy water to play/clean pavement with afterwards. Double the fun

kid · 20/07/2008 22:04

YANBU
I always let my kids draw or write chalk on the floor, infact they sometimes do it on the way home from school and look for their messages the following morning.
I have never had anyone complain and wouldn't expect anyone to complain about it either. Its not like spray paint, it will wash off when it rains which is frequently with our weather!

FluffyMummy123 · 20/07/2008 22:05

Message withdrawn

kid · 20/07/2008 22:07

There are sometimes signs up to tell people/kids that there are no ball games allowed. If there is no sign up, then surely they can play football? Perhaps the neighbour can report the local dad for harrassment?!

I have never seen any signs to say kids can't draw with chalk. I suppose someone will invent one at some point but until they do, I assume its fine for the kids to do it.

FluffyMummy123 · 20/07/2008 22:09

Message withdrawn

aGalChangedHerName · 20/07/2008 22:10

My lovely neighbour campaigned to have a "No Ball Games " sign put up opposite my house. I will let my dd's use it as goals

Nighbynight · 20/07/2008 22:11

oh goodness YANBU

its the only time I can let the children make a mess here and leave it, safe in the knowledge that the next rain will wipe it out.

am by the story of teh girls being fined for pavement art.

Spidermama · 20/07/2008 22:12

My kids have done some squiggles outside my door in pastels. It's not showing any sign of coming off yet.

However, I LOVE to see kid's drawings in chalk. They brighten the place up. Some people are so anal.

Bronze · 20/07/2008 22:15

Yay I can show boring DH this thread and say see other normal people don't think chalking on pavements looks horrendous and is good for small children to do. Then I'll order some more chalks from ELC. Thank you people

Spidermama · 20/07/2008 22:24

It's terrible how small kids are demonised just for playing outside their houses. I feel sorry for the miserable wretches who have so little joy in their lives that they can't recognise the part these normal, healthy childhood activities play in creating normal, healthy, functional societies.

Gobbledigook · 20/07/2008 22:27

Oh I let mine chalk all over our driveway and up teh walls! My mother thinks I'm nuts - she'd never let us chalk on the house but hey-ho, it washes off (although much more quickly off the floor than the walls!).

piratecat · 20/07/2008 22:29

on friday, my dd's class were making a right old mess on the paths outside thier class with chalks, WITH teacher's go ahead!!!

i was impressed.

Original poster
FourArms · 20/07/2008 22:34

They did loads of chalking at DS1's ex ( - going to big-school in Sept) pre-school. It always looks great, and they can't wait to show you their drawing.

OP posts:
theyoungvisiter · 20/07/2008 22:36

YANBU! God, poor children these days, it's like fun is a suddenly next to ASBO in the dictionary.

I expect by the time DS has children skipping and football will have been outlawed due to the risk of strangulation with the rope and antisocial competitive nature of footie.

blackrock · 20/07/2008 22:42

i used to do it. We covered every pathway in our cul de sac. Now live in a lane, so have to make do with the patio for my DS aged 2.

Mungarra · 21/07/2008 09:24

My children write with chalk on the patio and path in our back garden.

Personally, it wouldn't occur to me to let them do it on public property. Have you got a garden or driveway they can do it in and then the neighbour can't complain?

cornsilk · 21/07/2008 09:35

I know my neighbour would complain about this also - despite having a child he is a miserable sod. I may just buy some chalks now.

BouncingTurtle · 21/07/2008 09:43

Me and my friends used to do this when we were little 'uns!
Let them have their fun - rain will soon wash it away!

dragonstitcher · 21/07/2008 09:51

My LO school give the children chalk to use in the playground. If they are encouraged to do it at school, how can you be unreasonable?

My X wouldn't let the kids use chalk on the pavement at home, but he is a miserable, ol' so and so.

branflake81 · 21/07/2008 16:47

Actually, I think it DOES make the place look a mess. But it doesn't bother me and it will wash away. So YANBU.

margoandjerry · 21/07/2008 16:50

how silly. Sorry to hear that. Perhaps they should spray paint their hopscotch grids on the street instead?

Original poster
FourArms · 21/07/2008 18:17

Mungarra - we don't have a driveway (our garages are all at the end of the street so we just park on the road), and the path in our back garden is the wrong type for chalking - pebbly concrete.

I washed the street last night in the end in an attempt at concilliation, but let them chalk again this morning. I made sure they kept to outside my house and our adjoining house (currently empty), so well away from hers.

Spray paint... hmm now there's an idea! Sadly the girls I was showing it to had never played hopscotch before. They're 5 & 6, so I think this is a bit sad. We spent hours playing this as kids. Along with elastics....

OP posts:
kerryk · 21/07/2008 18:29

i had not thought about letting the kids do this!!!

have just ordered that bucket of chalks of e bay so hopefully it will be here before the end of the week