Toddler won't stay at dinner table, is this typical behaviour?

[teaandkittehs]

Hi there,
Our 2.11 y o little lady started rejecting her high chair months ago. She got very upset while confined in it for dinner and raged so much that she cried and wouldn't eat. So we decided to get rid of it, as no one who's when your child is hysterically sobbing and refusing food. So we let her sit on a chair. It solved the raging and upset, but she just won't stay at the dinner table, she occasionally stays for a decent amount of time but often it's a couple of minutes. She sometimes comes and goes and eats as she does so. She's not eating much at present due to a recent growth spurt. Just wondering whether refusing to stay at the table is typical toddler behaviour? She's a bit speech delayed so we are a bit limited in terms of communication with her about it, we tell her to come back to the table but she does it on her own terms. Currently a very picky eater, too. She's not old enough to understand the consequences of not eating yet so I'm definitely not prepared to play hardball in any way until she's older. Thanks in advance.

Completely and utterly normal, both mine did/do this, it’s infuriating

Yep really normal.
The only way I get my 2.5 year old to stay at the table is to have some of his toys there like cars or figurines, and we ‘feed’ them each a spoonful of food and then feed my son, or he does it himself. Including his favourite toys and chatting with them about the food has worked well to keep him at the table for longer. It takes a while to get through a meal if he brings like 9 toys to the table, but it’s also kind of fun!
My friend just puts the dinner plate on her so sons toddler table and lets him come and go as he pleases. Eventually he eats most of the food and she doesn’t stress about where he eats.
Also, I found that offering some veg or part of the meal before actual dinner helps - so I’ll often chop up cucumber / pepper or cheese and let him eat that whilst I’m preparing dinner. Then when he comes to eat his meal there’s a smaller portion of food as he’s already eaten some, so he doesn’t have to be sat there for as long and I know he won’t go hungry if he doesn’t sit and eat all of his bolognese for example.

Thank you thank you both of you I am grateful for your responses! My sister and two of my pals have kids who just never seen to consider not staying at the table or not eating their dinner so I was wondering if it was normal! Seriously, thank you.