That phone call is one of the best scenes I've read that depicts how different it is when loved ones leave you. So sad. It really hits you that the boy is so young.
That's a pretty adorable scene on page 14, when all the kids run off you can see them all drop their items, all except one, the little girl can be seen running with the giraffe in her hand.
It's not ok to hit a toddler. They're not just gonna cry and then be fine. That shit will stick with them under the surface, even if you don't notice it. You can convince toddlers to do what you need them to do in other ways, you just gotta put effort in and learn how.