La Toya Talks About The Jackson Family

(AP) -- La Toya Jackson says her famous family is different than other groups of brothers and sisters, and it's not because of their musical success.

She says they're different because there's an understanding between the Jackson family... they don't argue as much as others, and they never fight.

"Yes, there was a little bit of division going on, but... my family is so different than other families. When I say division and I see these reality shows, they really fight and do things like that. We don't," La Toya said.

"It's not a yelling match or things of that nature. It's just like, 'Well I don't agree with you. I disagree with what you are saying.'"

La Toya said she and her siblings disagreed with minor details after the death of the most famous Jackson, Michael.


"Of course there's going to be differences. His burial, (some) want it this way or that way, you're not going to agree upon everything," she explained.

In her new book "Starting Over," La Toya says that she and her family have not had their traditional "family day" in some time.

However, things have changed.

"I did say that in the book, but since the book we just had a 'family day' about, maybe two weeks ago," she said.

While the Jackson siblings don't physically harm one another, their father Joe Jackson has been known for his aggressive demeanor.

But now that the Jackson stars are older, La Toya says they appreciate their father's ways.

"People say, 'OK, you're father spanked you,' but people got spankings. Today, they don't do that. It's unheard of. But now that I'm older, I realize that you have to discipline your children, and sometimes, well the bible even says 'spare the rod, spoil the child.' You have to discipline your children," she said.

"I have a lot of nieces and nephews and I watch them grow up, and my brothers have children now and they understand my father better. When you're small and younger, you think it's cruel, but it really isn't. They're trying to be a disciplinarian and you have to have that in your life," La Toya continued.

La Toya said she's very proud of her father and that Michael and Joe had a "wonderful relationship" before the King of Pop died in 2009.