When I was a kid, restaurants had "smoking" and "non-smoking" sections. When you were seated, the hostess would ask which section you wanted.
Now, most public places are "smoke-free" with small designated smoking areas, usually outside.
Here's my pet peeve.
Why don't restaurants now have "TV" or "non-TV" dining?
Haven't there been studies that show that eating while watching TV leads to a slower metabolic rate and a tendency to overeat?
Why do "family friendly" or "kid friendly" restaurants insist on having televisions with Cartoon Network surrounding the dining area? What is so friendly about mesmerizing my 5-year-old to the point that he can't complete a sentence or finish his pizza while it's warm?
Or how about the places that have the news on so you can stay current on what's going on in the world? At bedtime, when my 3-year-old asks, "Why were those men throwing rocks?" and I'm racking my brain to figure out where she saw men throwing rocks, then realize there was footage of the Israeli conflict playing while we ate lunch, how do I answer her question in a way that can still encourage her to "have sweet dreams" when I walk out of the room and turn out the light?
Maybe other people don't have this problem. Maybe their kids don't even notice what's playing over Mommy's & Daddy's shoulders. Which makes me wonder, by limiting my kids' "screen time" at home, have I made them more susceptible to tuning in to screens in other settings?
4 comments:
My kids hardly ever pay any attention to the tv's in restaurants. I don't have rules for screen time at home because I believe that if I don't make a big deal out of something, they won't either. I usually turn the tv on for them if I notice they need some down time but I'll also say "not right now" sometimes and they're fine with it. Usually if the tv is on, they leave the room to go play anyway. :)
When our firstborn was about 15 months old, he became very upset by a commercial for a movie that came on during a football game. I realized then that we had to set up a system to make sure they weren't exposed to certain things before they were ready to interpret it accurately. Ours seem to be especially sensitive to visual images, so that's why we have limits. Every kid is different though, so I can see why you don't have to monitor screen time as much. :o)
I'm sure you have noticed that my kids are very similar to yours. I have often wondered if because we limit the amount of tv they watch, it makes them drawn to it even more when we are out and about. I can totally relate to them not finishing their food because the tv is on where we are dining. I would love to sit in the "no tv" section at a restaurant.
Ah, I could totally see that. I was thinking of "screen time" as only kid's shows. I never watch something that I'm interested in in front of the kids. On the rare occasion I have tried, it is always the commercials that are the problem.
Post a Comment