Is this an okay way to deal with a food refusing 2 year old?

[WhyTheHeckMe]

Ds is just about 2, he was always a good eater but things have really slipped recently. We always eat at the table as a family and he used to happily sit in his booster seat and wolf down his dinner and a yoghurt / fruit. Now he sits in his chair for a minute and just gets really fed up resulting in him not eating.
So we've instead the last 2 days allowed him to take his plate into the lounge where he'll continue to play (no tv) but will dip in and out of eating and then will go on to eat his fruit.
It's really not ideal as I like the fact we've always been able to take him out to eat etc with no issues but I have to remind myself he's 2. I'm so worried about food becoming a massive trauma and something he dreads (how I spent my childhood with a very strict father who made me eat my dinner off the kitchen floor if I so much as smiled at the table) :-(
Please help me get this balance right! I'd rather him eat than not eat but I don't want to create a child with no table manners....

Could you have sone meals at the table and let him have some where he can watch tv or have a floor picnic with you and some teddy bears? At that age mine had a small table and chairs where they ate some meals and ate others with us at the table.

What if you all sit up and just ignore him? I find my toddler eventually realises he’s missing out and asks to sit up. I def employ more joking/teasing/coaxing than I’d like some days. Have my spoon, have daddy’s spoon, have a BIG spoon

I think its a fantastic idea to let him eat this way, to take food in lounge, play and eat. The reason is, if everything is too disciplined like making him sit and eat on table, in the long run it will affect his creativity. With some aspects you can discipline him. With some others you can be a little flexible. This way, the creativity develops in long run. Its about balance. With food if he likes this way, let him be. Other than that with other aspects you can control him and make him do in a disciplined manner.

I think you're overthinking this. Make a family meal, sit down together at the table. If he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat. At that age, I'd sit mine on my lap if she was happier and she could carry on eating bits either from my plate or her own. Also, realistically, it wasn't until just about 2 that we tended to do family dinners every night. She'd always eat what we were eating, but I'd often feed her earlier as we took longer to eat than she did and I didn't think it was fair to make her sit there forever while we discussed our day (she's 4 now and yes she does have to sit there, but 2 year olds aren't joining in dinner conversation the same way, so I don't always think it's realistic). I wouldn't let him get down and play and I wouldn't let him take his food in the other room, but I would just do whatever it takes to keep him happy at the table for a bit while you all eat. He may just be going through a phase of refusing food, which is fine. Let him eat what he wants and when he doesn't want anymore, he's done. I'd offer a cup of milk before he goes to bed just to top him up.

Tbh I'd carry on eating at the table if that's what you're aiming for longer term and just not worry if he doesn't eat. You don't need to be strict or discipline him, just sit down for a family meal and let him eat what he wants to eat but be consistent about you all sitting together at the table.

DD is 3 and her levels of fussiness vary hour to hour but we just tell her she doesn't need to eat anything she doesn't want to. We're honest about foods we think she'll really like. We also ask her to try a tiny bit of something on the promise that she doesn't have to eat any more if she doesn't like it. Sometimes she hates whatever it is but more often than not having a taste makes her want more. Agree with other posters that not trying to push them into eating and making meals a happy experience are key. Good luck!