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Kelly Clarkson is an open book when it comes to her kids. She’s not afraid to admit that she’s a protective mama bear, and is always quick to post cute videos or photos of her son and daughter to make fans feel like they're a part of the family. When it comes to how she's raising her children, the singer is pretty open, too — regardless of what others might think.In a recent interview with Radio.com, Clarkson said she disciplines her daughter, River, 3, and son, Remington, 21 months, the same way her parents disciplined her: by spanking them. "I'm not above a spanking, which people aren't necessarily into. And I don't mean like hitting her hard, I just mean a spanking," she explained. "My parents spanked me, I did fine in life and I feel fine about it. But I do that as well, too."She knows that other parents are more apprehensive about spanking, so she admits she's more careful when she’s out in public and around others. But she still holds firm that she finds nothing wrong with spanking her kids when it’s justified, and says her kids know when it’s coming. "I warn , I'm like, 'Hi, I'm gonna spank you on your bottom if you don't stop right now. Like, this is ridiculous.'"Although the debate around spanking continues to rage on, study after study has found that spanking can make children behave even worse, and in the long-term, bring on antisocial behavior, foster negative parent-child relationships, and cause low-self esteem. Instead of using corporal punishment, child development experts seem to agree that the best way to deal with a kid in the throes of a temper tantrum is to remain firm while also expressing compassion. “When we know better, we need to do better,�� Vanessa Lapointe, Ph.D., recently told Good Housekeeping. Effective discipline is “as simple as saying, ‘No, and I know you’re upset,�� or, ‘No, and I understand your frustrations.’”Yet Clarkson isn't the only one to think the effects of spanking have been overstated. In a poll conducted last year by The Huffington Post, nearly 70 percent of respondents think spanking is an acceptable form of discipline.For now it seems the singer is planning to continue to spank her kids when she thinks the situation demands it. As she told Radio.com, “I’m a well-rounded individual with a lot of character, so I think it's fine.��