‘Spare the rod and spoil the child?’ is a Biblical mantra followed by many American parents, including Minnesota Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson. But Peterson finds himself in hot water after being arrested for what authorities said was child abuse.

The football star apologized for--depending on your viewpoint--spanking or beating his four-year-old son at a news conference Monday, the same day he was reinstated by his team.

He also, however, defended his conduct saying he was only trying to teach his son ‘right from wrong’ and said spankings are a normal part of life in Texas and that he himself was likewise disciplined by his father.

On Saturday, September 13, Adrian Peterson turned himself into police in his home state of Texas after becoming aware an arrest warrant had been issued.

The allegations against Peterson say he abused his four-year-old son by whipping him with a wooden switch in May.

Police photos of the child show reasonably large wounds the boy received and Texas police say the boy had cuts on his thighs, buttocks and even on his genitals following the disciplinary action.

Commentators were divided over Peterson’s actions with some, such as former basketball star Charles Barkley, expressing support saying whipping or spanking kids is commonplace and the NFL shouldn’t be telling anyone how to raise their kids.

ESPN analyst and former Vikings football player Cris Carter, however, condemned Peterson and then got emotional talking about how his mom beat him as a kid.

So what’s your take? Does corporal punishment have a place in parenting or did Peterson cross the line from discipline into abuse?

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