http://www.click2houston.com/news/adrian-petersons-mom-its-not-about-abuse-but-love/28114816 Adrian Peterson's mom: 'It's not about abuse, but love' HOUSTON - Since the moment Adrian Peterson was publicly accused of beating his 4-year-old son with a switch, the star running back has insisted he was merely doling out discipline. In a statement, Peterson expressed remorse for any injuries he inflicted on his son but explained he was only using the same punishment he received when he was a child. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle Wednesday, Peterson's mother, Bonita Jackson, acknowledged using belts and switches to discipline Peterson when he was a boy. "When you whip those you love, it's not about abuse, but love," Jackson told Chronicle reporter Cindy Horswell. "You want to make them understand that they did wrong." Peterson was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury Sept. 11. He's charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child. Peterson's indictment has since sparked a national debate about the distinction between child discipline and abuse. "For the most part he is trying hard to be a good parent, he's working at it," Jackson told the Chronicle. "People are judging him, but they don't know his heart. This was never his intent." Hours after the indictment was handed down, Vikings team officials deactivated Peterson, making him ineligible to play their game versus New England. Peterson was briefly reinstated Monday before mounting public pressure forced the team to reverse its decision. "We made a mistake and we needed to get this right," Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf said in a press conference Wednesday. "It is important to always listen to our fans, our community and our sponsors." Peterson was placed on the league's exempt list, meaning he is not allowed to participate in team activities. He will, however, be paid by the Vikings while he's away from the team. His next court date in Montgomery County is scheduled for Oct. 8.
Is that confirmed? The way I read it was he bled from the legs and had marks elsewhere. It seems unlikely.
#1 He didn't even know that he had the son until weeks before the child died. Second, he had no legal basis to keep his son away from the mother's boyfriend. It is a REAL stretch to blame Peterson for the death of his son. #2 I don't agree with having lots of children with multiple women out of wedlock. Having said that, I do not know how good a father he is or is not.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Whether Adrian Peterson plays again this year will depend on when legal case is resolved. But Vikings intend to bring him back, per sources.</p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/512222204797665281">September 17, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
When NIKE pulls your merchandise over concerns about how you treat children, you know you have a problem.
I don't know about that... I agree with Nook.. I don't like the multiple kids with multiple women... But.. 1) Sounds as if he spends time with his kids.. 2) I don't hear anything about him not supporting his kids.. 3) He does discipline his kids (Sometimes too excessive) I can see you saying Shawn Kemp was not a good father, but I can't see you saying that about AP... He just needs counseling too understand his actions... T_Man
His mother is clueless. When you make your child bleed you're not disciplining them you're abusing them.
Those three things are indicative of being a good father? As long as you spend time (not sure how he can spend near enough quality time with all of the kids from different mothers, simply not possible) and financially support them that offsets bloodying them with a switch?
I would actually say that spending time with your kids, supporting them financially and trying to keep them out of trouble are signs of a good father. Are you honestly saying those things are not signs of a good father? He messed up while he was attempting to discipline, but that doesn't mean we can't call a spade a spade.
I am not in that house, I am not going to say he is or isnt a good father. As far as I know he is involved in their life, he financially supports them, he is attentive and loves them. I am not going to critcize him because he uses corporal punishment, I have seen parents do it and be excellent parents. Do I think he went too far? Yeah, but I don't think he should lose his children and I think he can learn from it. There are just too many variables that we do not know. There is no proof he hit his kids out of anger or any proof that he does not love them or is absentee.
Isn't his lawyer still out of town? I know once you hand over a case to a lawyer, all moves must go thru them... Not saying this is the case, but it is most of the time. T_Man
Holy crap, just realized there's people actually saying this was okay because the bible says you can hit children with a rod..
Of course those things are indicative of a good father, but bloodying a FOUR year old with a switch tends to offset them. Causing another FOUR year old to gash his head on a car seat (if Peterson can be believed) while he was being disciplined also tends to offset them. Also, how much quality time is he spending with his 7 (supposedly) children by 5 (supposedly) different mothers? I have no idea so I can't make a judgement. I just believe that based on his profession and the fact he has 7 children by 5 different women, it is very difficult to spend quality time with each and every one.
Great interview on the radio today, summing up the situation - Beatings are much more likely in lower socio economic households where parents lack the understanding of proper parenting skills - The whole twitch thing, or whatever it's called, as well as routine beatings are an African-American tradition that the community has not done enough to put out. Of course,Large numbers of white families spank their children as well but the figure is disproportionately high in AA households - Higher rate of developmental disorders and illness such as cancer, alzheimers and deviant behavior in parents who spank their children because of stress affecting the developing immune system - It should be looked at as a basic violation of human rights. The excuse is well, "my parents beat me and I turned out fine", but that doesn't take into account what a proper disciplinary action would have done and it's more of a "Well, I survived it, they should be able to as well" Complete beat down of AP and those who support him
I like how the Peterson situation has turned into a referendum against different types of parenting (specifically spankings). First I am adamant against calling it beatings whether by the person performing the action or anyone talking about it. Parents should not beat their children or refer to spankings as such, that sends a wrong image. Characterizing parents who spank their children as poor (which somehow means ill equipped to handle their children as they don't have "proper parenting skills") is wrong. People feel that studies done, papers, thesis, dissertations can somehow find the correct answer to parenting is absurd. To say so means that we can only now arrive at proper parenting as an enlightened society. There is never a correct way that is absolute, people's children are different and the way best to discipline them should be left to "caring" parents because they are the ones who know them best. Parents make mistakes and any caring parent will be troubled or remorseful about it, and if Peterson is a caring parent he will learn from his mistakes. There has never been a perfect parent I have witnessed my parents commit wrong, but I never questioned their love only their actions. Tl;dr Let caring parents learn from mistakes before we judge them to be scum.
