Dining choices

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?