Kelly Clarkson Admits She Finds 'Nothing Wrong' With Spanking Her Kids As A Form Of Parental Discipline

Feb 23, 2023 by apost team

Kelly Clarkson first became a household name in 2002 following her win on the hit competition series “American Idol.” Since then, the singer has sold millions of copies of her albums and toured across the world. Some of her most notable hits include “Since U Been Gone,” “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “Because Of You.” With an incredible vocal tone and range, Clarkson has easily become one of the best and most recognizable pop stars in the US.

Along with being a highly accomplished singer, Clarkson has also appeared in a variety of films and TV shows and has become one of the most beloved women in the entertainment industry due to her hilarious personality and charming wit. She was a judge for another singing competition series called “The Voice” and is even the host of her own talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

With nearly two decades in the public eye, Clarkson’s personal life has been on full display. She famously wed Brandon Blackstock — who happens to be Reba McEntire’s former stepson — in 2013. Together they had two children, River, 8, and Remington, 6, as well as two older children from Blackstock’s previous marriage.

But sadly, their union didn’t last, and in June 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock. Since then, they’ve endured a bitter battle over child custody and assets. Clarkson was awarded primary custody of their kids, and in October 2021, she also won their $10.4 million Montana ranch, which was a big sticking point in the divorce proceedings. 

Back in 2018, Clarkson got people talking when she divulged that she isn't above a good spanking when her kids get out of line. Her comments brought up the question of whether that is acceptable in this day and age. Read on to learn more about Clarkson and her parenting techniques. 

The aftermath of her messy divorce proceedings impacted Clarkson's career – especially her own talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which was adjusted to accommodate her new demands and requests. 

In a conversation with Variety in September 2022, Clarkson opened up about how being a solo parent changed her outlook on work. Per the Emmy-award-winning host, she decided to have the show pushed back 30 minutes later just so she could spend more time with her children and take them to school. 

“And then my nanny picks them up. At least I have the mornings with them, and then I have nights with them. I think the most important thing I’ve learned in therapy, especially through this divorce, is “Don’t hide everything from your kids. Obviously, don’t talk about stuff that you shouldn’t talk about, but it’s OK if they see you cry, or it’s OK if they see you’ve had a bad day,” she revealed. 

Furthermore, Clarkson also confessed to feeling a sense of shame when opening up to her children, but she also made it a point to teach them how to express empathy at the same time. Working in the grueling entertainment industry, Clarkson admitted to facing “mom guilt,” even asking for reassurance from her own mother, who went on to affirm that she’s doing well. 

Clarkson was also grateful that she has the means to tend to her children personally without leaving her career, thanking her “great team” for getting through the tricky process of scheduling. 

“Everyone at NBC is amazing, and everybody wants everyone to be successful. It’s really helpful to have that type of unity in your environment at work. There are a lot of parents at the talk show and at “The Voice,” and at my label. And there are a lot of women,” she furthered. 

apost.com

However, Clarkson's lax attitude regarding corporal punishment toward her children is something that's had people talking. In January 2018, she shared some details on how she chooses to discipline her children during an interview with radio.com. The mother-of-two admitted that she is not above spanking her children when she deems their behavior out of line. Understanding the controversy behind it, she explained how the practice is pretty common down south where she is from. 

When talking about how she chooses to discipline her children, she said:

“I’m not above a spanking, which people aren’t necessarily into,” she admitted. “And I don’t mean like hitting her hard, I just meant a spanking.”

The three-time Grammy Award winner went on to defend her methods: 

“My parents spanked me, I did fine in life, and I feel fine about it.” 

Clarkson elaborated that there is always a warning to her kids prior to her taking action. 

“I warn her! I’m like ‘Hi, I’m going to spank you on your bottom if you don’t stop right now like, this is ridiculous.”

"The Voice" coach continued by sharing how spanking is very normal down South where she is from.

“I’m from the South, y’all, so we get spankings.”

She did, however, admit that it can be difficult in a public setting, as people who don’t agree might be quick to judge.

“... that’s a tricky thing when you’re out in public, ’cause then people are like, you know, they think that’s wrong or something, but I find nothing wrong with a spanking.”  

Despite the negative connotations of spanking one's child, Clarkson is a firm believer that it works. "Honestly, it's really helped," she admitted. Although, she doesn't do that kind of stuff as often.

The question of whether spanking is an acceptable measure of discipline has been subject to debate for years. Some agree it is harmless, while others liken it to abusive behavior. The American Association of Pediatrics does not recommend spanking or any other sort of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure. 

A study by Tulane University found that while spanking might curb bad behavior in the short term, in the long term it may make them act out more. Nearly 2,500 children were involved in the study, where researchers found that kids who were spanked more often at age 3 were far more likely to be aggressive by the age of 5.

Nevertheless, Clarkson doubled down on her disciplinary method in an interview with People TV, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. Since her 1-year-old couldn't talk yet, gentle spanking was a way for her to communicate "don't touch that, don't do this" with them. "It's important for me and it's how I grew up. And I don't know, I think we're all very healthy and kind," she said. 

"Everybody has their own way to enforce discipline in their household, which I'm down for whatever. But I do think that sometimes I run into kids that you can tell weren't disciplined or spanked, and you're like 'wow, someone just needs to whoop your a**,'" she added. 

Clarkson said she knows it's "a Southern thing to say and people are like 'that's uneducated, redneck,'" but she sees the positive in how that kind of discipline makes for well-mannered adults.

"Where I grew up it works and where I grew up people are kind and they open doors and they say thank you and they say please and they're respectful. So, those are the things I want my kids to be."   

What are your thoughts on Kelly Clarkson's disciplinary methods as a parent? Where do you stand on spanking? Let us know, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family to get their opinions too!