AIBU to let my children chalk on the road? Neighbour washed it all away.

[TakesTheCake]

We have lived on a small square for four years, where the neighbours are pretty unfriendly and insular (unlike our old street, where they were all lovely and welcoming and mutual support abounded :-( ), and two doors away lives a couple who have always been reasonably friendly and cordial.

Today my two boys aged 7 and 12 were outside playing for a few hours on the square with the boy from next door - riding scooters, running, swinging on the swing in the little grassed area, with me and the boy’s dad keeping watch. My elder boy ran in to get the chalks they sometimes use to draw on our driveway but this time they all drew on the road (there is no pavement, just driveways and road). It covered outside our house and also the neighbours’ house (the couple we are somewhat friendly with). They were really proud of their creativity, finished up, then came in for lunch. Five minutes later the neighbour came out of her house, ran the hose on her driveway and worked pretty hard at scrubbing/washing it all away.

The kids were dismayed when they saw her doing it, and thought they had done something wrong. It felt really horrible for me too, as I don’t think kids’ chalk drawings are out of order in any way, and will wash away in the next rain. They have never caused any issues in the road, so it can’t be because of built-up resentments that spilled over, and they have literally never drawn on the road in the whole four years we have lived there.

She saw me see her doing it, and it feels really awkward now. I would rather she had come over and just straightforwardly said it bothers her to see it from her window and could I make sure it isn’t outside her house again. Washing it away felt passive aggressive, or she really feels I let them do something out of order and wrong.

AIBU to have let them? Are children’s chalk drawings on the road (NOT her driveway or even close) not OK?

Stovetopespresso maybe the kids could draw a massive chalk bouquet of flowers and "sorry" xxx on her driveway

My old neighbour complained about this as she said it made it look like a council estate. I pointed out that it was a council estate. Yes but we don't need to draw attention to that! Batshit.

I would tell them to go back and draw smiley faces and "be happy"

How miserable of her.

She's a misery, ignore her OP. In fact, as Gumption says get your boys to do it even more and enjoy watching her scrubbing it all off 😉 😆

I love seeing kids' chalk drawings/writings - reminds me of long hot summers as a child.

Goodness what a misery guts! Next time tell them to make sure it’s a rainbow with an nhs logo on it. I’ve seen a few like that and brought a smile to my face some people have learnt nothing in the past year

Did you actually see the ‘creativity’? Most 12 year old boys I know (and I’m going back over the last three decades or so to include my peers), don’t draw rainbows and unicorns.

Are you absolutely sure there wasn’t a good reason why she was cleaning their chalking?

Hmmm tricky. I let my daughter draw with chalks on our patio last summer assuming it would easily wash away and it didn’t at all. Took ages and about a months worth of rain plus a bit of a scrub from a broom before it went.

Neighbour sounds a bit miserable but some people are very conscious about how things look. To be honest it annoys me a bit when the neighbours leave their wheelie bins out for days etc. Maybe get your kids to do it in your garden or on your driveway rather than the road

I Loved my dc drawing on our driveway or paved area in the garden. But I would have told him off if he was drawing on the road. It's not safe place to draw in the first place.

YABU your children should be inside, sat in front of the tv or devices, not out in the fresh air, completing that, age old, rite of passage - chalking on the pavement/road.
I’m joking obviously. She’s a weirdo. You and your kids are totally normal.

Disclaimer - as long as they weren’t drawing massive, or even small, willies

We live in a small block of flats, I live on the top floor but in the summer my kids play in the car park (sounds dangerous but honestly it only fits 8 cars & is very quite up our road & the car park is residents only). They chalk up the whole car park, its chalk, it'll wash away. I am not sure what my neighbours think of it but it's a bit of harmless fun. Although I will admit sometimes does look unsightly with the amount the draw 😂😂

Oh and don’t worry, if you’re anywhere near the south of the UK there’ll be a hosepipe ban soon, so crack on with the art work and then report her if she uses the hose to get rid.
Yes, I’m joking there too. Sort of.

@jellybellybanana

yup total funsponge, with her chalksponge.She sounds bitter unfortuantely.

An often used phrase that means nothing. What do you imagine she is "bitter" about? There is nothing at all here to suggest it, sounds like youj projecting.

what else could possibly explain not wanting children to be joyful?? literally what else? fear? maybe some kind of phobia?
I suppose she could have have a property viewing or whatever but surely it takes someone really sad to not even explain to a neighbour why you're washing away kids' artwork? surely she's in a bad space mentally to be that shut down . jus sayin'.

@Stovetopespresso

yup total funsponge, with her chalksponge.

She sounds bitter unfortuantely. I think MASSIVE BOUQUET of flowers, homebaked cake and handwritten apology card are in order ooh and £5 to cover the costs of cleaning

Or draw some flowers in chalk outside her house? Or even on the driveway

I think children should play in the park, indoors or the back garden, not out the front. I've never seen any chalk on the road or pavement, it seems an odd thing to do.

She's a miserable sad weirdo.

This is really sad. Poor kids. YANBU.

@jessstan2

I think children should play in the park, indoors or the back garden, not out the front. I've never seen any chalk on the road or pavement, it seems an odd thing to do.

The fuck

what else could possibly explain not wanting children to be joyful?? literally what else? fear? maybe some kind of phobia?

Noe of the above. Who says she has anything against them being joyful, or even them doing it? Why is there never any attempt to see things from different angles?
Is it so hard to imagine someone could think "aw that's nice, kids playng out, being arty, now they are done so I will clean up after them"?
No bitterness, no nastyness. She didn't complain about it, she didn't try and stop them, there is no issue.

Did the children think it was permanent artwork or something?

I played out in my cul de sac when I was a child in the early 60s, hopscotch etc. It's a fine old tradition and your neighbour is completely unreasonable.

I agree with jess to be honest, from a safety aspect more than anything else.

@jessstan2

I think children should play in the park, indoors or the back garden, not out the front. I've never seen any chalk on the road or pavement, it seems an odd thing to do.

Haha.. you forgot the word 'joking' off the end of your comment.

In your own garden/patio/in front of your own house fair enough, nothing wrong at all.
If you're doing other people's driveways though this time they all drew on the road (there is no pavement, just driveways and road). It covered outside our house and also the neighbours’ house
people might not like it, it's just consideration for others.
I personally don't think I could get too worked up over it and might muster a meh at best but can see others might not.
So I voted YABU

Assuming nothing rude had been drawn, she’s being a misery.

I can be a bit precious about tidiness, but the chalk will wash away in no time. What a shame to ruin their innocent fun!

@Shrivelled

YABU to let your kids chalk nice drawings on the road for everyone to see. Next time get them to chalk in massive writing “my neighbour is a miserable cunt” on your driveway instead.

Seriously what a cowbag.

How sad to be so angry! Don't give her another thought.