That crazy Nick Cannon is talking about child discipline as he and Mariah Carey’s twins, Moroccan and Monroe, approach the toddler years. To be fair, Nick was asked about the way he’ll deal with his kids’ impending temper tantrums, and Us Weekly says he was joking about his immediate answer of having his belt ready at the draw. These days, corporal punishment of any kind is quite controversial even though most people over the age of 30 can remember it being doled out while they were children both at home and at school. I remember my mom being a fan of a wire hair brush, which she only only had to use on me once before I got the point. These days though, anyone who admits to even lightly spanking their child on the bottom is in for some sharp judgment from the parental brigade, so I am pretty sure Nick was only jesting in his comments:
Nick Cannon is preparing for his twins’ terrible twos the best way he can — with a sense of humor. “I got my belt out already! It’s ready,” he joked to Us Weekly on Wednesday, March 6, at the Stars and Strikes Celebrity Charity Bowling Tournament in Studio City, CA.
Here were a few more choice quips from the 32-year-old actor-singer, whose daughter (Monroe) and son (Moroccan) with wife Mariah Carey turn 2 April 30.
On who’s the tougher parent: “Who do you think? Me! I don’t play that!”
On when his kids can listen to his music: “When they can go to the club!”
On when they can start dating: “Oh, no, my son can date at, like, 3 if he wants, but my daughter, never.”
The singer/actor also divulged his and American Idol judge Carey’s TV viewing habits. “Idol. That’s about it. [And] Real Husbands of Hollywood,” his mock reality show for BET. “We TiVo [Idol]…and we watch it when we can watch it together,” Cannon told Us. “My wife is a great critiquer. She’s like, next time I’m going to do this, and next time I’ll say this. She’s critiquing herself as she watches it.”
[From Us Weekly]
I hope he’s also kidding about letting Moroccan date before Monroe is allowed to do the same. Double standards really do exist when it comes to boys and girls and what parents permit them to do. My opinion? Don’t let any of them leave their bedrooms (except for school, of course) until they go to college (just kidding — maybe). There’s too much trouble to be had out there, and a teen boy can impregnate his girlfriend just as easily as a teen girl can get knocked up. I always want to hurl when dads are “proud” to see their boys get some.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
I’d be more concerned if Chris Brown said it.
Domestic violence isn’t funny, but I LOL’d at this. I agree that Nick Cannon was probably joking about the belt. I have a feeling Mariah totally spoils and indulges those kids, anyway.
As for the comments about letting his son date before his daughter, those ring a lot truer to me. I unfortunately know many men who feel that way, and don’t see any sexism inherent in having two different standards for their sons vs their daughters.
meh, pretty cute answers. but I will say he’s probably telling the truth about the dating, most dads follow the same rule. mine did, but it never really bothered me.
Irony all over. Refreshing, BTW.
Snow Day!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I’d believe he’s joking. Does he come from the South? Let’s just say in my family jokes about spanking are the norm, especially with some bad little kids.
I was in a hair store, down in Jackson, TN waiting in line with my mom, when this little girl and her mom came in. That little girl was into EVERYTHING. When her mom told her to stop she started crying. Then she said that if she didn’t stop crying she’d spank her. Of course, she didn’t. I spent the next ten minutes internally rolling my eyes to the little girl’s tantrum, and the mom REPEATEDLY saying that if she didn’t stop, then she was going to spank her.
I wonder what the huge to do about spanking is. Maybe a lot of today’s parents had parents who abused it? All I can say is it is true when you say the majority of teenagers are disrespectful. And that’s not even just due to not spanking your kids, it’s the fact that they’re not raised at all.
90% of people in my high school are complete brats. You know it’s bad when I’m saying it. I live in a pretty small town where people just don’t raise their kids. At all. I remember, back in ninth grade, a girl in my French class was telling her friend that she nor her sister (who was still living at home and graduated a year before) wasn’t talking to her parents because they wouldn’t let them keep a kitten that they found. Her friend was like “yeah, show them who’s boss!”
Ironically enough, this girl only has a job now, because her parents own a local movie rental and ice cream store. There are also kids that are just plain disrespectful to any and all authority figures. I’m eighteen, I know that I can/am snarky, sometimes crappy, and snotty, but it just amazes me what people let their kids do where I live.
My mom spanked all of us. I have a cousin, when we were younger, say that she was abusing us. Mind you, this is a cousin who, on the first day in my house, put his feet ON the kitchen table and was eating a sandwich. This is also the cousin that, to this day, is disrespectful of his mom (he and his little brother have broken up relationships between his mom and a few boyfriends because they’re brats and she won’t let anyone tell them what) and siblings. It just bugs me.
Sorry for the longer post this early in the morning. Just found out I had a snow day and am BORED….
Congrats on your Snow Day :). You raised some interesting points in your post. Compared to you I am an oldie (33), but I am constantly astounded at how many “youngsters” are so incredibly rude to their parents and adults. I do blame a lot of that on parental upbringing, especially in cases where I’m close enough to the families to see the lack of discipline. However, my problem with spanking is that I feel it is most often used when parents don’t try anything else first and then get frustrated, so they spank their kids out of anger. I don’t have children, unfortunately, but I do have many years’ experience with them, and I think that once kids see they’ve pushed you over the edge, they’ve kind of “won” already.
I was raised by wonderful parents, but they were European, very strict, and raised us with a code of behavior that doesn’t seem to exist anymore. They never needed physical punishment to keep my brothers or me in line, for sure!
I think there is a huge stereotype about people from the south just wanting to beat their kids. My mom is from the south, and she can tell some stories. My grandma used to beat them with switches or anything she could find, until they cried or stopped crying. She had an aunt who used to beat them with extension cords.
My mom, however, only gives us one hit for however old we are. And that only started once we hit a certain age. My mom didn’t want to spank my youngest brother for YEARS because he was little, and she was worried about hurting him. Typically for spankings, I’d say if it hurts for more than ten seconds after she’s done, then you did it too hard. I’ve never cried or been felt pain for any longer than that.
Also, my mom hasn’t ever hit us when she was angry. If she’s really mad, she sends us away, until she calms down. She only really spanks us when we’re younger, but then when we’re older she tries to talk to us. Obviously that sometimes doesn’t work, because we are kids.
I guess I’m a little more sensitive because you just can’t believe how many people don’t discipline. I have a four year old nephew who lives with us. At a Christmas party, he was misbehaving, so my dad made him sit down. The other women asked how long does he have to sit there. My dad said until I say so. They told him that you’re only supposed to make him sit down for four minutes. Funnily enough, it was their kid (same age) that was a little brat, who was running around, screaming and doing whatever little bratty kids do, when they know they won’t get in trouble.
I don’t know. I have a lot of experience with little kids, which has been the best birth control ever. Most of my cousins that are old enough to have kids, have them and I’ve watched them during the summer for a few weeks. I know I won’t be having one for a loooooong time!
@Faye:
Your “oldie” at 33 has just made my day.
Let an ancient one throw her 2 cents.
I agree with you on the point that parents spank withouth trying ANYTHING else.
In case with temper tantrums I think consistency and patience are the key. Children HAVE to learn to calm down and “get a grip” on their own and that is not to be thought by spanking.
I’m a mother of 2. My younger will be 2 this summer.
What I#ve learned with the older one is to decide which things (not that many actually) are really important to me and be adamant about them at all times and everywhere. Period.
I’m not generally opposed to spanking but in my opinion it should be saved for these moments when the kid understands fully what I want and disobeys, probably watches me in the eye and even smiles, waiting what will happen.
If I’m not sure that my kid undestands I explain. The next day again. And the next too. Afterwards his backside belongs to me. That’s my simple philosophy.
There are kids that can be crushed with a glance! and there are the ones that after spanking shout “It didn’t huuurt!”
Parents should attune to the nature of their children and also hold to their own rules without change of heart every other day.I think that the parents who spank rigorously do not have many other ways of disciplining their children. More often than not they wait too long and talk too hard before they lose it altogether or they have unrealistic demands. And there are the ones that simply enjoy spanking which I find worst.
@Micki, that sounds like the right way to go re raising children. Firm, consistent, and only using the occasional spanking in the right time and place.
@Faye: Thanks, I certainly hope so, but it’s too early to congratulate myself. When they are on their own legs, living their own lives, being responsible and kind…then probably I#d lay back and write a book about it… LOL
I live in the south and I’m constantly seeing those “ecards” on Facebook about how spanking your kids will help keep them out of trouble or prison. Basically people around my area believe spanning is fool proof and if you don’t do it your kid is going to be a f-up.
Nope he is a California boy .. from San Diego … it is not just a Southern Thing … but also a Black thing.. ( and yes I know other races spank) well it use to be … But now so many people are into this new parent … kids make their own rules crap that it is refreshing to see a person talk about discipline…
He is not kidding about the spankings only the belt …
Spanking is not necessarily child abuse. A swat or two on a well-padded bottom never hurt any child. Sometimes I think the lack of spanking in childhood is one of the causes of the problems we have today. I don’t like the idea of a belt, though.
I totally agree. Kids these days have no respect and need a good spanking. I was raised with the chancla (that’s Spanish for sandal). Basically if we were out of line my mom, aunts or grandma would take off their shoes and beat us. Thus resulting in us learning our lesson.
Sometimes I feel like negotiating and bargaining can only go so far and not yield results
I grew up in a loving caring supportive home and now at 25 i can clearly remember getting the wooden spoon a time or two. It didnt instill any fear of my parents into me but definitly got their point across. And when i have children i will not be against doing the same.
My daughter is two, and she has a wooden sppon called “buddy spoon” My mom came up with the name, dont ask me. But she only gets spanked (usually one or two smacks on the leg) when she is told repeatedly to do, or not do something (she understands orders, requests, questions, all of that very well). I was spanked a lot by my mom, some of which I found unnecessary but both of my parents have instructed me to never strike her when I am upset. I was really torn with spanking at first because I didnt want her to think that hitting is a way to solve your anger, but we hug it out later, and I explain why she was spanked. Nowadays all I have to do is move towards her really fast, and she gets around to doing what she was told.
Yeah me too. I don’t have kids so I’m not sure if I would ever spank or not (I guess I’ve never thought about it) but I got spanked as a kid (not often but on a few occasions) and I also got slapped across the face a few times.
I always knew how much my parents loved me and I truly believe that this was a last resort on their part.
I don’t blame them at all and I think at the time it was the only type of disciplinary technique that would have worked on me in that moment. I also know that my parents felt genuinely terrible having to resort to that.
I think I turned out decent, despite (or in spite of) it 😉
Lol my mum would spank me with whatever was close to hand, slipper, rolled up newspaper wooden spoon. I can tell you now I have no recollection of ever playing up in public because I knew that my mum wouldn’t hesitate to spank me in front of other people.
In Hispanic culture. The boys are encouraged to be promiscuous (by their fathers) and the girls are told be to virginal. Such a double standard is disgustingly unfair. It is so wrong at several levels.
Spanking is good for kids who won’t listen.
He definitely sounds like he’s joking, and I chuckled. Spanking isn’t the end of the world. And my brothers were allowed to date before I was, and although I was pissy about it at the time, it didn’t hurt me in the long run.
That sucks! My dad is really religious- but not as bad as before. So I thought he’d freak out when he found out my brother was dating someone. He was just mad that he hid it from him. I’m like seriously Dad, you’re weird….it’s a good thing my dad is equal opportunity in our house.
Goodness I love babies in glasses.
I’m not against spanking, but spanking for tantrums tends to make the kids more hysterical. And a two year old is too young, imo. Then again I tend to save spankings for more severe offenses (like breaking free and trying to run across a parking lot.)
I agree. I think that when you see your child doing something that is VERY dangerous/detrimental to their safety and well-being without understanding the consequences of their behavior then that is the appropriate time to spank.
Definitely not something for everyday “offenses”.
I agree with you Isa. When a child is over excited and doing a lot of bad deeds, a reaction like spanking, that usually also comes with parents loosing the control, will only make the kids agitated. Even worse, the kid will usually not even understand what was the reason and therefore learns nothing. For dangerous situations, as you described, then it might make sense so that it immediately has an effect in the behavior. Anyway, in my opinion, spanking should not really be painful but more to make them immediately understand that they are being punished and it should definitely be saved for serious bad behaviors and not because a child is bored and tired after the parents dragged them to a shopping mall the all day.
I think that was my problem as a teen. I was spanked but never really taught why. I learned if I did something bad and got caught I’d get a spanking. As a teen I got slightly better at not getting caught. Lol.
I remember a few of my spankings and they were probably the worst ones- getting whipped with a telephone cord or the wire part of a fly swatter. I remember feeling so angry. Once after my dad finished spanking me and turned to walk away I kicked him in the ass. I love my daddy, but I don’t regret that one bit.
As for tantrums I just walk away and come back when the kid has calmed down. It worked quickly with my daughter, but my son! Ugh. He’s been throwing them since he was 11 months old and it’s just now getting better. I have to catch him before he throws his head back and hits the floor, then step away. Now that he’s 18 months he understands that just because I step away while his food is cooking doesn’t mean he’s not getting to eat.
Toddlers have tantrums because they don’t understand and they can’t properly express themselves. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be and to be hit because of it? The thought makes me sad.
My kids are pretty good so far. I do worry about the teenage years but we will deal with that when we get there.
I hope Nick is just joking about the belt.
My father once slapped me in a awkward angle, not on purpose, but it was enough to make me bleed from my nose. I think that was enough traumatizing for me and for him, so it didn’t happen again. I know it wasn’t intended but at the time I was a small kid and I was just crying because I wanted to go with my mum somewhere…
But well, sometimes is really nerve breaking to see a child having a tantrum and having this feeling that no matter what you do, there’s no way to stop it. I think that the way you describe it, you deal with it greatly! Sometimes is also really difficult for a parent to not loose control. As for when they start growing up, I guess that love surpasses the fear. Kids will do mistakes, we all did, but I tend to find that the ones with a good stable loving family will deal easily with these mistakes and the ones that were excessively punished will tend to rebel a lot more.
My dad gave me a bloody nose once too. I had a handprint across my face. I was a teen and it was the last time he hit me. Bad, bad memories.
Tantrums are incredibly frustrating. But I think it helps to walk away, it teaches the kid this isn’t how we deal with our problems and it keeps me from getting annoyed.
I do worry that I’m leaving my kid alone to deal with feelings, but I hope that dealing with it when they’re calm makes up for it.
My bottom used to get a swat or two from a “kochlyffel” which is the German word for wooden spoon, once in a while. It let me know my boundaries, and what line not to cross. I’ve not used that on my kids, but they have gotten the hand on the bottom when needed.
A lot of parents today think it’s amoral to smack a tush once in a while when needed. I think that’s why so many kids are so disrespectful nowadays. That line doesn’t exist for them. The way they speak to each other, and to adults is appalling, and there’s no respect for their elders. Back in the day you simply didn’t talk back to a grown up, and you never kept arguing when told “no”. No was no, period.
i got a good belt wiping when i was younger and my grandma found out about me hooking up with boys or when i didnt clean my room etc, but i’m greatful she did, i’ve never spoken back to her or be rude to her the way a lot of teens do to their parents, i’m glad my grandmother disciplined me when i was not behaving properly, i grew up to be a very respectful adult, i have no psychological issues from being spanked, i discipling badly behave kids will help them to become well behaved adults.
I was never hit by adults, and I never disrespected adults or misbehaved at all. The worst thing I did when I was a teenager was to leave my room a mess. Also, I grew up to be an adult who knows proper grammar and spelling.
Kids do not respect people who hit them. Fear and respect are entirely different things, and cannot live together in the same body. Fear is the coward’s tool.
Totally agree with you Emily. My mother spanked and I hated her for it. I lost respect for her and eventually the tide will turn and the mother will regret losing respect. My mother to this day regrets spanking.
I’d have to disagree! I admired and respected my parents!
When I was little i’d get in trouble, be whooped, and forget about the whooping 15 minutes later! Never holding a grudge longer than 30 minutes( about the time it took me to get over a spanking 😛 ) against my parents!
Maybe it was just me, but I don’t think kids hold grudges against their parents if they know what a spanking is and means!
I too have to disagree with Emily and April. When I was younger I was smacked with a wooden spoon when my behaviour was out of line. I was fearful of the spoon and the smack, sure. But NEVER fearful of my parents. There is a distinct difference there. Being disciplined has not affected the massive amount of respect and deference I show towards them in any way.
Well i have rarely being spanked really because i’v always been too tiny and fragile buuuut my father use to scream and to course me and my brothers in ways i can’t describe. Now that i think about that i would have prefered the spaking. He was verbally abusive and he had these strange thoughts and theories. And he could go to extremis in the comments about our behaviour. Once (i was like 10 and played a little to late with my cousins) he used to ask me if i was a whore and wanted to walk the streets looking for guys. My mother was there crying and he wanted me to answer him but i didn’t really know what a whore was (i was born in a very conservative country and had no idea of some terms). But boy he “spanked” my mother for our bad behaviour. So we behaved for the sake of our mother. Now that i am older i think of that and YES i hate him for that. He pretends he never spanked my mother and it took her 30 years to tell him “Yes you did” in his face.
Yes i will spank my children but certinaly i will NEVER talk to them in that way. Never.
He is joking about the belt but not about spanking.. Thank God there are parents out there that believe in old fashion discipline.. it helps the rest of us deal with your children better
” I don’t mind you children .. if they mind you ”
Nothing worst than spoiled disrespectful kids.. Glad to see he is not playing around…
Those are some gorgeous babies.. gonna be hard to whip them … too cute
I got spanked by my mother as a kid. I don’t have any respect for her as an adult. In fact, I am against having children because I don’t want to end up the kind of mother she was.
I think he’s joking. I’ve seen videos of him with his kids and talking about them. He’s melted BUTTER when it comes to them and his wife. He’s talking all big now but…..
that baby girl is sooo cute! and so is her outfit!
I have noticed that a lot children are little brats have parents who have bad attitudes. I have a very young baby and I cannot imagine hitting her…but I am sure that will change when she gets older. Anyone ever get it with the fake wood Goody hairbrush?
Nope but I have with a different hairbrush, a switch, a telephone cord, the wire part of a flyswatter and I once went to school with a handprint across my face.
Spanking isn’t legal here (not that that means it never happens) and I am glad about that. Not that I’m not tempted sometimes 😉 but like I always tell my son once you raise your hand you’ve admitted defeat because you ran out of arguments and other options. And those “I got spanked and it did me no harm” arguments are just a bit pathetic in my opinion. I aim a bit higher than just not harming my kid. And how can I raise him to be reasonable and nonviolent if I hit him? Model learning, people! It works!
That being said, I too think he was kidding and I make the same jokes. My son thinks they’re funny.
It just occurred to me that if my husband were to hit me for misbehaving or take a belt to me he would get arrested. But it’s okay to do the same to a kid?
I agree with what you said. Spanking children is illegal in my country as well (Sweden) and I’m really happy about that.
When I was younger (maybe 5-10) my parents would sometimes grab my arm and “throw” me so hard it would leave bruises. This did probably make me more careful about doing things they didn’t like but I think they could have achieved the same result without hurting me.
When I was a bit older, maybe 16, my father slapped me so hard in the face that the chair i was sitting on fell over. This because I didn’t come down for dinner right after my mom called.
He did this out of unreasonable anger about a small thing and I’m still scared he might hurt me. I’ve never really forgiven him and don’t trust him very much.
If I ever have children I won’t hurt them like that. Parents are there to protect you and raise you and love you, not to threaten and hurt you.
I find it really shocking how common spanking seems to be (according to the comments). It’s against the law to physically punish children in my country, so I could never imagine spanking my children, it just just seems very brutal.
most people over the age of 30 can remember it being doled out while they were children both at home and at school
No. I am 36 years old. It was quite illegal in public school by the time I was in kindergarten. And my parents didn’t spank me; their parents never spanked them; and, on my mother’s mother’s side, as far back as we can tell, no one used corporal punishment. I can see a bunch of fools thinking “oh, you must have been brats then”: no. I was basically the best-behaved kid there ever was. Because I trusted my parents and I trusted authority figures, because they did not hurt me.
And no, corporal punishment was not common among my friends either. (Who were all also well-behaved.) I only had one friend who was spanked. (Who behaved the least well of my friends in high school, btw, mistrusted authority figures, and saw that her parents were hypocrites.) I never knew anyone who was spanked with an implement. As an adult, I do know someone who was spanked with an implement, and against whom “corporal punishment” was used often, up until he got to an age he could physically stop his father from beating him. His relationship with his father is basically non-existent, as his father is a narcissistic, abusive asshole.
Hitting people who are weaker than you is cowardly, and hitting children is not only cowardly, but bullying and counter-productive.
I’m 21 and I was spanked before and after I was a preteen 12 year old!
By the time I was 13 i’d just LMAO at my mother when she would spanked me because it didn’t hurt at all! We’d both end up laughing at each other! My mother started grounding me when spanking no longer worked and that really pissed me off! LOL
I was a good kid for the most part! I knew i’d get a spanking if I didn’t behave! When I was in trouble I was mostly whooped with a hand, paddle, or belt! 😛
I don’t judge parents who spank their kids as long as their not beating them! If I EVER witness parents beating their kids I would not hesitate to call the cops or step in myself! There’s a fine line in between spanking and beating your kids!
Why is it necessary to hit or spank a child, with your hand or anything else for that matter?! Some children are bratty by personality, every child is different. I just dont see how hurting your child to make a point is good for anyone if it creates fear or resentment. Sure, some people say it worked for them and created structure but it just seems so cruel, even if the child does something to “deserve” it. Incidentally, I feel the same way about hitting animals but that is a completely different issue…
In my country, we have a saying, “if you spare the rod, you will spoil the child”. I plan to spank my future children just to keep them in line. It is important to instill discipline in yI see nothing wrong with reprimanding and spanking.
But of course, it should always be done with proper restraint. Spanking and child abuse are two different things.
🙂
Actually, no, they’re not.
Actually, yes, they are 🙂
It should be “if you spare discipline you will spoil the child.”
There are other ways to discipline, you know.
In my opinion everybody need to worry about raising their own children. He’s still a father and its his wife and his decision how their children are punished.
I’m not interested in wading into the soaking debate, but I’m so happy to see Monroe in sunglasses! I hate it when I see parents out in hats and/or sunglasses and their kids are squinting in the sun. People–protect your children’s eyes!
I believe she is wearing corrective glasses. I WISH my toddler would keep sunglasses on. He’s always squinting like you said.