16 month old impatient at mealtimes

[sparklyflowers]

My 16 month old DS is very well behaved, calm and smiley outside mealtimes. However, recently he has started becoming very impatient at mealtimes if the food; 1. doesn't appear in front of him quick enough once he's in the high chair, 2. There are any gaps between mouthfuls (starts gesturing / shouting for next mouthful before emptied mouth of last), 3. If you don't give him anything that you have that he thinks he doesn't have (even if it's exactly the same but just is a different size -like a sandwich), 4. when the food stops / meal has done. He's not asking for food / seeming hungry before he goes in the high chair, so don't think it's because he's starving! He has a good appetite and on the plus side will eat anything - and I mean anything! On reflection, I have tended to react / give him lots of attention at mealtims and I wonder whether ignoring him more / giving him less 1-1 attention / eye contact / not always being poised with the next mouthful / meet his last demand may help or is this neglect?!!

We have been able up to now to go out with him for lunch etc but now it is becoming increasingly difficult e.g., when we are waiting for our order, even with maximum entertainment on offer to him (talking, singling, books, toys, pointing things out in area etc), he'll start shouting, crying, rocking backwards and forwards, banging his head.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Let him feed himself?

My 16month old is great with a folk now but still uses fingers or a spoon too.

I dish his meal up first, then while it's cooling down put him in his highchair so I can then get the food straight to him.

Then I sit down with mine and leave him to it.

Agree with the above. My DS was pretty impatient that age as well. We used to pitch up to lunches out complete with various not-filling snacks (rice-cakes I think) and drinks to keep him going before the 'real food' arrived. Failing that, let him work his way through the bread-basket!!!

Same as Pricilla, let him feed himself. Must be more interesting for him, may keep him occupied for longer at the table too. Hope it goes well x

Thanks for your advice. We usually have a least 2-3 'courses' a day (lunch, puds etc) which are finger foods and where he can independently feed himself and the same outcomes occur! We definitely do the un-filling snacks thing to keep him occupied before the main event . He isn't able to use a spoon or fork independently yet. He can put a loaded spoon to his mouth and use it, but not load it yet. Just changed the type to see if this improves.