My little girl has just started hitting and I'm really struggling to deal with it. She is 17 months and is so frustrated that she can't communicate. She is also struggling with adapting to her new little brother coming along. I nearly always stop her before she hits another child but thankfully I haven't been in your situation. I would have struggled not to lose it in your situation. I don't think you are overreacting at all. If someone did that to my child, I would burst into tears then and there. What she did shows her kids and others watching that violence is okay. NOT COOL