Kate Gosselin: I'm Mom First, Spank You Very Much

Australia

Kate Gosselin: I'm Mom First, Spank You Very Much

Wed., Jun. 17, 2009 12:30 PM PDT by Breanne L. Heldman

Ant Griffith/Bauer-Griffin; InTouch Weekly

Kate Gosselin should prepare for a spanking for the spanking.

Today's cover of In Touch Weekly shows the reality television mother disciplining daughter Leah, one of her 5-year-old sextuplets.

According to the magazine, mom and the kids were playing outside when Leah started blowing a whistle loudly. Mom asked her to stop because she was on the phone. When she continued, Kate approached the child and said, "Did you not hear me?" Then, per the magazine, whack.

Meanwhile, the Jon & Kate Plus 8 star released a statement to Life & Style (In Touch's sister publication, natch).

"Whether the paparazzi are there or not, I am a mother first," she says. "I love my children and when they misbehave, I discipline them as I deem appropriate for the situation."

The tabloid-friendly family's every move has been under the microscope amid allegations their marriage was falling apart.

For their 10th anniversary weekend, Kate Gosselin stayed home with the kids, while Jon was MIA from their Pennsylvania manse, spending at least part of the weekend in a suburb of New York City, sources tell E! News.