High Chair Fear - 18 month old

In the last week or so DS has become increasingly unwilling to sit in his high chair for dinner - to the point where he will cry until we take him out of it - real heartbreaking tears as if he has hurt himself or scared.
I cant work it out? He hasn't fallen or hurt himself in the high chair, and he is sitting at the table with us. When I go to put him in it he arches his back so much that I have to force him into it - tonight we just gave up and all sat at the little table in his playroom, the tears and heartbreak just weren't worth it.
He will normally let us put him in it for breakfast, but by dinner time (when he is also usually a bit tired) we are having trouble. We've got him into it a few times without fuss, but mostly he just cracks it.
We've always sat at the table all together and eaten as a family of three but I just don't know what to do, I don't want to get into the habit of sitting at the toddler table, as I think the routine of a family dinner altogether is important.
Is this a normal faze? Any suggestions? We have no idea what to do! :o

My daughter got to an age where she flat out refused to sit in a highchair, she'd do all the things you describe. So we just sat her at a small table until she was big enough to sit with us at a big table. I think it is pretty common.

Maybe it's to do with being restricted. :dunno:

What about a booster seat? If you have the style chairs at your dining table that will accommodate one, it might be the way to go. We took one with us when we went away earlier this year and we still could sit at the table together. It tied on to the back and base of the chair and had straps to keep DD in that went around her waist. Hope all is okay soon :hug:

At about 18 months both of my girls went through highchair refusal and ended up going into booster seats. It wasn't worth the effort to persist with the highchair and they were much happier.

hmmm, we have a goldbug portable booster seat we used when DS was in his brace - much more open than the high chair, but with it he's a bit too high for our table. I might find a lower chair to put it on and see what happens tomorrow night - Thanks B :)

JM - he's too little to sit with us on a normal chair - he'd fall off in seconds (or climb on the table) LOL DH suggested we change things up a bit - eat outside on the deck etc now that the weather is nicer etc, might try that too

Booster seat is a great idea. Or an ijea highchair without the tray up at the table....... But if that doesn't work I wouldn't worry too much about him sitting at the toddler table for a couple of months, as soon as his big enough he can sit with you. Can uou move the little table next to your dining room table? There are so many years of all sitting together at the table ahead. If sitting at his toddler table saves the tears and heartache I'd run with that for a couple of months. It's not ideal but I found it was easier than the tears.
X

Actually I was thinking about the IKEA chair as they are only about $25 and it would be about the same height as our table
:)

We have a fold up booster thing I think its First years brand that attaches onto normal chair, we bought it to keep in car as went a few places with no highchairs. We stared using full time when DS1 was nearly 2 as wanted to be able to put DS2 in highchair.