Parents: Save the sidewalk chalk grafitti for the park.

west1440

Had a verbal argument with a parent this morning when I scolded her child for marking up the sidewalk in front of our building with yellow and pink chalk. I do not think I was wrong when I instructed her to have her child stop.

The children's area in Prospect Park is the proper venue for the sidewalk chalk. Parents, please take your children to the park if you feel like giving them huge pieces of brightly colored chalk.

boygabriel

lol.

Only in Park Slope

karl the druid

you must reply in the form of a pirate

puckbrooklyn

All I can say is Wow!, I didn't think we'd gotten to a place where children playing with chalk on the sidewalk would be a discussion. Relax... it will rain soon, and it will go away.

opossumqueen

I get annoyed as shit at lots of kid stuff around here, but I honestly don't see the big deal with chalk on the sidewalk. If I'm trying to get in and out of my place, then I don't want them crawling around, but otherwise what's the harm? It's actually one of the least annoying things I can think of for a parent to allow their kid to do outside, at home. It's usually a pretty quiet activity compared to the scooters or kid games. Do you think kids should be allowed to play at all in front of their buildings?

I'm not against telling the kid to keep it off of the space in front of your home if you really hate it (and I think the parent should oblige), but I don't see any harm in the chalk.

Now the kids shooting water guns and hoses as neighbors and passersby definitely deserves a word or two, on the sidewalks or in the park.

homeowner

While I don't think sidewalk chalk is the end of the world, I do wonder why parents don't instruct their kids to play in front of their own homes? When I was a kid we were strictly bounded by the area that fronted our house and yard, and one or two neighbors homes where we had been given explict permission to play because our friends who were playing with us lived there. We were also instructed to not play inside other people's fences or on the stairs of adjoining houses. Seems like this no longer happens and parents just let their kids play wherever they happen to land.

mw11215

Right. So long as the kiddies keep their drawings to the area in front of their stoop, who cares? Given the amount dog (and cat) piss and shat already on the sidewalks, what's a bit of chalk?

armchair_warrior

I'm fine with it, I think its cute . Kids done on the sidewalk with chalk infront of my property before etc..

If adults spray graffiti on the other hand with their permanent paints on the walls that's totally a different story.

MOD

I suggest people look up "west1440" older posts and you'll understand.

longtimesloper

Was the child in front of their own home or yours? Because chalk washes off easily and a child should be able to play in front of their own home as long as they are not defacing it or causing permanent damage! Get out a hose, wash it off and lighten up!!

whynot_31

arrrghhh, there is no need to use me hose or worry about the limey troll.

Ye Brooklynians, just need ye wait for the next rain storm to wash off the the writin' of the scallywags.

All ye chalk will run to ye harbor and then to ye sea.

jarvis

You're lucky you only had a 'verbal argument' after you scolded someone else's child over using chalk on a sidewalk. ("when I scolded her child for marking up the sidewalk in front of our building")

Of all the ridiculous posts that have come and gone on these boards over the years, this takes the cake.

whynot_31

Jarvis-

Just click on west1440/victor/pyrnicvictory posts.

They are the same posts, and all by the same poster. The world is full of odd people.

Often one of the clones will join the thread to try to add to the chatter....

el syd

Kids and Chalk -Yet another sign of the return to the bad old days.

whynot_31

It has long been observed that the monthly amount of ice cream that is sold is directly correlated to the number of murders.

Perhaps we can establish a correlation to the sales of chalk. Didn't kids play more sidewalk Hopscotch back in the 80s and 90s? Yes, they did.

Wasn't that NYC's most violent period? Yes, it was.

Gotta love correlation.

...gotta make sure not to jump to causation.

ringrunner

I am so glad you did did not scold my child for using sidewalk chalk on the sidewalk. It would have ended in me being arrested.

ringrunner

whynot_31 said:

Jarvis-

Just click on west1440/victor/pyrnicvictory posts.

They are the same posts, and all by the same poster. The world is full of odd people.

Often one of the clones will join the thread to try to add to the chatter....

I think West 1441 is really Marty Markowitz

whynot_31

Ringrunner, you may be on to something.

Like Marty Markowitz, West1440 does appear to believe the public is stupid.

...and I never seen Marty and West1440 in a photo together, so yea, could be.

Let's add that to our coincidence pile.

reader

west1440 - do you live on 9th St?

For the rest of you, there is some kid or kids that not only marks up the sidewalk - they scribble on the stoops and the front wall of the houses. I have not ever seen them do it, but I would also tell the mother to move them on and get her kids under supervision.

I grew up in the city, we were only permitted to chalk up the front of our own house and the relative's next door.

bkchickie

I'm pretty crotchety myself, but even I don't have a problem with sidewalk chalk.

That said, if those same kids were to move from chalking just the sidewalk to chalking buildings which were not their families', then I would have a problem with it.

ringrunner

The OP "scolded her child".

Was the OP even a neighbor.

I would have beat the OP into the ground.

stretchy

Well this is a perfect opportunity for my 1st post. I DO have a problem with these annoying kids and their chalk. I take a lot of pride in keeping the front of my home looking nice and pristene. Why should I have to deal with these brats scribbling all over in front of my home. This is a result of lazy and inconsiderate parents. Keep your kids grafitti on your own property if you don't have a problem with it. They'll be the same jerkoffs when they get older who will sit on the hood of your car to hang out with the rest of the park slop houligans. Go buy your kids some coloring books you buch of cheapo's! Ahhhhh feels good to vent!

ringrunner

Stretchy said:

Well this is a perfect opportunity for my 1st post. I DO have a problem with these annoying kids and their chaulk. I take a lot of pride in keeping the front of my home looking nice and pristene. Why should I have to deal with these brats scribbling all over in front of my home. This is a result of lazy and inconsiderate parents. Keep your kids graffitti on your own property if you don't have a problem with it. They'll be the same jerkoffs when they get older who will sit on the hood of your car to hang out with the rest of the park slop houligans. Go buy your kids some coloring books you buch of cheapo's! Ahhhhh feels good to vent!

You should not have moved into a neighborhood with children. A gated "community" sounds right for you.

winstonsmith

Yea, I just wish people would only let their pet piss and shit in front of their own property.

stretchy

I agree winston. I have a dog and he either goes at the tree in front of my house or at the park. But maybe from now on, I will bring my dog to pee at the homes of these chalk writers. Then when they complain I can say "why are you complaining, the rain will wash it away, right?"

tateinbk

Gee, this issue is causing a lot of first time posters.

To those that argue children should stay to the sidewalk in front of their own buildings, please note the OP mentioned the child was doing it in front of "our" building. Indicating the child was chalking in front the the family's building that the OP shares with them.

longtimesloper

Well, I agree that kids shouldn't do this in front of other peoples homes, that is rude. But, if the kid was doing it in front of their house, then it's ok

whynot_31

so far we have brand new posters Rupaul and Narcoloeptic Abe joining us!

Marty would be proud.

walkathon

There was a recent Wall Street Journal article saying that one of the causes of the sub-prime mortgage crisis was millions of kids drawing with chalk in front of homes across the nation, lowering property values and causing the recession.

quantumsilence

I figured I weigh onto this topic especially since it hits home on so many fronts. I am a home owner and I am of the sort that justifably believes that the sidewalk in front of my home belongs to me. Sure the sidewalk in front of my home technically does not belong to me. Hell, I have no bill of sale for that patch of ground but the city sure as hell believes it does belong to me especially when they fine me for any little piece of refuse found on that patch of ground.Year in and year out the weather gets warm and the children from neighboring homes come out and play on the sidewalk. Hell, I used to do it back when I was a child. i engaged in skellies and marbles on the street and sidewalk but my parents always taught me to clean up after myself. Fast forward to today and you have a different sort of child rearing technique being used. Some of these children find it within their hearts to use those chalks and draw enormous portraits of gibberish. Yes I said gibberish. Some go beyond their designated canvass area and even have decided to paint on my stoop and my patch of ground. Sure it is removable with a hose and water but why should I clean up this mess? Why are the parents of these children not stepping up to clean after the messes created by their spawn? As you can tell from my diatribe I am not a champion of the sidewalk chalk artist and if matter were left to me I would hose the very children into teh gutter along with the colorful stains they leave behind.

This is my 2 cents.

winstonsmith

but every 20 minutes a dog pees on you gate and you are ok with that.......

QuantumSilence said:

I figured I weigh onto this topic especially since it hits home on so many fronts. I am a home owner and I am of the sort that justifably believes that the sidewalk in front of my home belongs to me. Sure the sidewalk in front of my home technically does not belong to me. Hell, I have no bill of sale for that patch of ground but the city sure as hell believes it does belong to me especially when they fine me for any little piece of refuse found on that patch of ground.Year in and year out the weather gets warm and the children from neighboring homes come out and play on the sidewalk. Hell, I used to do it back when I was a child. i engaged in skellies and marbles on the street and sidewalk but my parents always taught me to clean up after myself. Fast forward to today and you have a different sort of child rearing technique being used. Some of these children find it within their hearts to use those chalks and draw enormous portraits of gibberish. Yes I said gibberish. Some go beyond their designated canvass area and even have decided to paint on my stoop and my patch of ground. Sure it is removable with a hose and water but why should I clean up this mess? Why are the parents of these children not stepping up to clean after the messes created by their spawn? As you can tell from my diatribe I am not a champion of the sidewalk chalk artist and if matter were left to me I would hose the very children into teh gutter along with the colorful stains they leave behind.

This is my 2 cents.