Kelly Clarkson Defends Her Decision To Spank Her Children When They Misbehave

When it comes to spanking parents have different views on it. In fact, this is one thing that keeps parents and experts divided, which is whether the kids should be disciplined by spanking or not.  There is also debate over the fact that there is a fine line between spanking and physical abuse and if parents cross it frequently or not. 

Clarkson is a mom to son, Remington Alexander and daughter,  River Rose Blackstock.

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Kelly Clarkson sparked a social media debate after making a statement that she’s ‘not above spanking’ her own children

Kelly Clarkson shot to fame in 2002 when appearing on American Idol. With over 28 million albums and 54 million singles sold worldwide, she boasts some pretty impressive musical stats. She was also the first artist in history to top each of Billboard’s pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, country, and dance charts.

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The ‘Since u been gone’ singer made a comment in 2018 that shocked many fans and followers.

Her comment did not settle well with her fans and followers. The singer claimed that she wasn’t against spanking under certain circumstances. Former talent manager and husband Brandon Blactone, father of both children divorced Kelly Clarkson in 2021. They cited the reason behind their divorce as ‘irreconcilable differences’.

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When interviewed, Kelly Clarkson was pretty candid about her parenting style

I’m not above a spanking, which people aren’t necessarily into. I don’t mean hitting her hard. I just mean a spanking.” Said the 40-year-old singer in an Atlanta Radio Station interview. She also mentions how her parenting style stems from her own upbringing, claiming that she ‘did fine in life’. Not everyone seems to agree.

“My parents spanked me, and I did fine in life, and I feel fine about it, and I do that as well. That’s a tricky thing, when you’re out in public because then people are like, they think that’s wrong or something, but I find nothing wrong with a spanking.” She said.

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When discussing how she handled at the time 3-year-old River Rose when it came to discipline, she added: “I warn her. I’m like, ‘Hi, I’m going to spank you on your bottom if you don’t stop right now, this is ridiculous’, and honestly it’s really helped. She doesn’t do that kind of stuff as often.”

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Twitter fans were outraged and were quick to respond

One follower said that they could not imagine doing the same thing to their own child. “I used to love Kelly Clarkson but I read a while back that she talked publicly about spanking her one-year-old and three-year-old, and now as a parent of an almost eight-month-old…I just cannot imagine,” she wrote.

“I mean, I can’t imagine spanking in general, but a one-year-old? Are you kidding me?” Another person wrote: “Kelly Clarkson should’ve been canceled when she proudly admitted that she spanks her kids. I for one deleted all her music from my library when she said that because spanking is child abuse.”

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Many defended Clarkson's comments:

Some fans defended her parenting style, stating that it was her decision. Others validated her method. “All I can say is I stole candy when I was a kid, got spanked and then never did it again.” A second said: “There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s a way of giving discipline to kids in my culture.”

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) condemned the spanking of children, stating that there were better, more civilized ways to deal with behavioral issues. It read: “Corporal punishment – or the use of spanking as a disciplinary tool – increases aggression in young children in the long run and is ineffective in teaching a child responsibility and self-control.”

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“In fact, new evidence suggests that it may cause harm to the child by affecting normal brain development. Other methods that teach children right from wrong are safer and more effective.” The statement also addressed the harm associated with verbal punishment such as humiliation or shaming, stating that these methods could have a long-standing effect on children and their development.

While parents are often finding themselves frustrated and desperate, one needs to see the world from both perspectives. When children frequently misbehave and parents feel like they’re at the end of their rope, you may find them saying things like “Nothing else seems to work.” Is it fair to judge them so harshly?

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With no actual discipline strategy, parents are pretty much lost. And it is times like these that they should keep their old beliefs and their egos aside and seek advice for it. As a matter of fact, there is enough research out there to show you effective parenting methods. It is always better to seek help than regret your parenting methods in later life when it is probably too late. 

Logical consequences sound a lot more reasonable. If your child for example draws all over a wall, have them help you wash the wall. This teaches them to respect property at a young age without getting scared of consequences. Additionally, it gives them an idea of how actions have consequences too. 

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When you notice your child is cleaning up after him, then this should be the moment of praise. Children tend to perform to parents’ expectations to establishing a sense of pride in a child from an early age can only magnify good behavior. What is your opinion on this?

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