Celebrity Parenting: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Robin Thicke’s Custody Battle

Robin Thicke and his ex-wife Paula Patton have been fighting over the custody of their six-year-old son Julian, and in January a judge rejected Patton’s request to limit Thicke’s access. Patton has accused the “Blurred Lines” singer of physically abusing their son, which Thicke adamantly denies.

According to the court documents, Patton says she’s “become concerned about [Robin’s] drinking and drug use, as well as the forms of punishment he is using to discipline Julian.” Patton specifically cites the spankings, which she believes were too hard and made Julian “scared” of his father. While many parents turn to spanking their children, new research shows it has a lasting negative impact on children and increases noncompliance and aggression.