LETTER: Please don't hit your children

I went to the Summit Fitness center Saturday morning for my daily workout. Afterwards I was walking to the dressing room. A woman with two adorable little girls, maybe 2- and 3-years-old, were coming down the 20 steps from the atrium. The mother was in a hurry and was way ahead of the girls and disappeared into the women’s dressing room.

I slowed to watch the girls trying to manage the steps. The dark-haired 2-year-old fell and started to cry. I told her it was all right and thought of going to help her but in this day and age I thought it best to talk her down the steps. She fell again and was scared. I could see her blonde little sister around the corner and told her that her sister was right here. She stopped crying and climbed down the big steps.

Just than her mother came out of the dressing room and started yelling at the little one and grabbed her and bent her over and hit her twice as hard as she could. I stood there in disbelief at what I was watching. I am still embarrassed that I stood there and said nothing to this child abuser. This parent hit her child so hard it may have broken bones. How hard and how much do you beat your kids when nobody is around? You showed no love or compassion for your little girl who was doing the best she could to keep up with you. I pray to God you see this and stop the abuse before it’s to late. —Kirk Falcon, Kalispell