to think it's ok for small boys to run sticks along the wall as they walk to school

[Thornbird]

My sister was walking her boys to the childminder this morning. The boys are five and three and they both had picked up sticks on the way and were running them along railings and walls as they went. So far so normal.

Then a woman came up to my sister and said "I can't believe you're letting them do that - it's vandalism"...

My sister said when she really looked at the wall you could see that the sticks had left faint scuff marks like chalk marks on the wall, but the sort of marks that get washed off in the rain, or that you can rub off with a finger. And they hadn't really seen the marks - they were just enjoying running the sticks along the wall. I can imagine doing it myself to be honest!

Now I am the world's nastiest litter monitor - but I really wouldn't mind about this and it never occurred to me that small boys weren't allowed to run sticks along walls any more. If you can't do this, can you draw a hopscotch grid on the pavement outside your house with chalk like we used to?

What's the verdict?

[LilRedWG]

Small boys + sticks + walls = fun! It's the natural thing to do with a stick!

[GroaningGameGirly]

Little boys HAVE to do that. It's the law. Just as children always have to walk along walls.
Silly woman - needs to get a life, methinks.

[LilRedWG]

DD will be out with her chalk when she's older and I dar anyone to say anything to me! It's not permanent and it's fun!

[Sheherazadethegoat]

dd does this, i think it is an obligatory part of childhood. silly woman.

[twentypence]

Are children not allowed to do anything anymore?

[EscapeFrom]

She was a looper

[oliveoil]

you should have said "I can't believe I am letting you speak to me - it's torture" and walked off

madness

[tracyk]

It drives me nuts. dh can't walk past a stone without kicking it, a stick without picking it up and hitting it against something - now ds does it - must be a boy thing. Can't just have a nice peaceful walk!

[SixKindsOfCrisis]

People have forgotton how to tolerate ordinary childhood play. Mad world.

[NotADragonOfSoup]

If it damages the wall/fence/whatever then no, it's not acceptable for them to do it.

[KaySamuels]

I often get looks for little mindee I pick up from school walk home with a stick, and he doesn't even run it along walls, he just really likes sticks!! Carry on regardless I say! [griin]

[filchthemildmanneredjanitor]

i think the rise in anti-social behaviour is partly down to things like this. so many things that we did as kids, that were seen as part of a normal childhood are now seen as anti-scal behaviour.

run a stick along the wall-vandalism
play football in the street-asbo!

etc etc

[KaySamuels]

sorry that should be letting

[filchthemildmanneredjanitor]

anti-social- not anti-scal!!!

[WendyWeber]

Tech is stealing people's letters this morning

mmj, you said what I was thinking (and much better than I would have!)

[morningpaper]

filchthemildmanneredjanitor I agree

I often drive through the council estates and have to slow down for the kids kicking the ball at my car and I think "The fasdfkjjhers!" and then I realise that I have turned into a Daily Mail reader and they are just CHILDREN PLAYING in the STREET

[filchthemildmanneredjanitor]

it's like kids now have to just play in a sterile way with the facilities provided for them or they are being naughty. sad.

[RedLorryYellowLorry]

Running a stick along a wall or fence isn't vandalism. Silly woman.

[Peachy]

PMSl at the nuytter you met on your travels

ignore!

[BraceYourselfMavis]

Agree with Filch.
Heaven forbid a child should display behaviour that is anything other than perfectly controlled.
This woman's comment is a sad indictment on our society.

[twoisplenty]

It's scary that so many people are starting to think in this ridiculous way - that children aren't allowed this, that or the other. IMO most of it is down to the media, it's about time people had their own opinions, not formed from something that's been hyped up on the tele.

[Leati]

Thornbird,

Personally, I would not let my boys run sticks across the walls of someone elses building. However, I hardly think it is vandalism or that the womans reaction was warranted. Now if one the building belonged to her, I think she would have been well with in her rights to ask them to stop.

[filchthemildmanneredjanitor]

why though leati? doesn't make a noise, doesn't cause any damage? why shouldn't they do it? what possible reason is there?

[TinyGang]

Crikey!

Little boys and sticks go together like nothing else. It's even mentioned in Just William books.

I'm fed up with all this disapproval about boys and the things that make them boys being somehow wrong all the time.

They should be allowed to get dirty, make a noise (well within reason ), be competitive and carry sticks if they want. As long as they're not hurting anyone it's all quite natural.