Actors Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown vow to break the cycle of child abuse by never resorting to corporal punishment to discipline their 2 sons.
Ryan tells People she was harshly disciplined with a belt as a little girl growing up in St. Louis. She vividly remembers “crying while nursing my welts after being whipped” and hearing, ‘Stop crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about.'”
The First Wives Club TV star says she and Sterling, who appeared in Marvel’s Black Panther, are raising their sons without the threat of corporal punishment.
“Everything changed,” after the 42-year-old actress became a mom. She read articles that linked violent crimes to corporal punishment. “I was exposed to articles about discipline and the science around corporal punishment. It rocked me to my core. Research shows that corporal punishment is highly questionable at best, and by no means is it the best way to discipline a child at all, according to science.”
Ryan and Sterling, 43, use a combination of proven methods of discipline such as time out, rewarding good behavior, and praying for strength.
“The good news is that my husband and I are in agreement about corporal punishment,” she said. “So we continue forward. Praying for guidance. Hoping that love will be enough.”
Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
