The meal starts loud
Some toddlers arrive at the table already wound up. Start with the food they like, in reach, before you talk about anything new.
Start with the yes
Keep the meal short. A loud start can still become a few calm bites.
Put the familiar food down first. Let them eat a bite before the rest of the plate arrives, if that helps the room settle.
Your volume
Matching their volume makes the kitchen bigger. A quieter voice and a smaller plate give the meal somewhere to go.
Talk about the bath or the park, not about the volume. The food can be there while the talking is about something else.
When loud becomes distress
Wound up is different from frightened or in pain. If the meal often starts in real distress, talk to your child’s doctor.
End a meal that has tipped over. The repair is the next calm plate, not a longer argument tonight.
A sentence you can say
“Here is the rice you like.”