what is the longest toddler tantrum you've experienced?

[Unwind]

My DD has been having a tantrum for the past 45 minutes. I usually try to ignore, but I've now tried every distraction I can think of, to no avail. I guess she is just going to scream until she wears herself out.

Has anyone experienced one that goes on for over an hour? Two hours?

an hour a couple of days ago. On the school run picking up her brother and sister. The tantrum ranged from "I wanna wear my raincoat" through "i'm thirsty" to "I wanna fruit shoot" and was punctuated with extremely loud NO's.

I think my DS had one for a similar amount of time a couple of weeks ago at bedtime. He was furious solidly for nearly an hour and then in a split second he was fine, polite, kind and happy.

This is still ongoing. It started with a demand for chocolate, and then for hugs (refusing a hug when offered), and has been punctuated with "NO WAY!"s.

Oh bless :( Have you tried taking her outside? Change of scene often helps if DS is going on for ages.

Other than that a "You look very cross/sad" (doesn't always work. Yesterday all I got was "MY NOT CWOSS!") Also going down to their level and holding arms out silently for a cuddle sometimes works. Usually MEGA-tantrums seem to be caused by tiredness or the start of an illness or something anyway.

If not then yeah I guess just let them work it out. :)

about an hour and a half

I tried taking her outside, she demanded to be put down, and then flung herself on the ground, kicking and screaming. She refused to stand up, and after carrying her about, resisting with all her might, I just brought her back inside. Things she normally loves, like the neighbours' dog - did not distract her at all.

I've now moved her to her bedroom. She doesn't usually have a nap anymore, but maybe she will calm down quicker there, or fall asleep.

Hope she's not coming down with something.

Unwind don't leave us hanging, how long did it go on for in the end (or is it still going on?)
Did you find anything that worked?

Sadly the longest we've ever had is over 2 hours. Not sure which of us caved in first on that one but have faith, they will fall asleep soon through sheer exhaustion if nothing else!

I'm a newbie here, but was so pleased to see your post! My youngest is 2.6 and in the last 2 or 3 weeks has been having the most monstrous tantrums! They last ages, and no amount of talking or hugging (she won't let me) has any effect. She lies on the floor screaming and when I ask her to calm down she yells 'I can't' (think she has learnt this from older sister). The last two ended with her literally falling asleep on the floor. I have tried to work out if there is anything in common and I do think tiredness has a lot to do with it - next time I see one brewing I think I will try and get her into bed (time of day permitting!). Nice to know others are doing the same, I'm in one of those phases where everyone else's kids seem much more well-behaved!

A couple hours, although the howling and floor-punching waxed and waned with his energy.

Last weekend ended up being That Couple in the restaurant with the out-of-control child... who was eventually hauled up and sat on the pavement for forty minutes while he continued, with the odd break to get up and punch the shop window...

Partly my fault for not forcing food onto him when it was two hours since last meal - he was hungry but didn't realise it so refused to eat. As soon as he decided to try eating the 50th chip instead of hurling it on the floor, he instantly cheered up and munched through most of the food his cousin hadn't scoffed in the meantime...

I think it was nearly two hours in the end, though I did not time it exactly. Eventually she consented to a hug, and fell asleep almost instantly. I was afraid to wake her(and set her off again), so sat holding her for ages.