National Football League

Lions' Bush clarifies remarks on disciplining daughter

Published Sep. 18, 2014 1:14 a.m. ET

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Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush tried Wednesday to clarify remarks he made on a radio show about how he might discipline his 1-year-old daughter.

Bush told WFAN on Tuesday he ''definitely will discipline her harshly'' and indicated he would consider spanking his child, although it was not clear if Bush meant he was already using that form of discipline - or that he might do so when his daughter is older.

He spoke with reporters in Detroit's locker room Wednesday.

''Obviously, I'm not going to be spanking a 1-year-old girl, but we do discipline her a little bit,'' Bush said. ''She does this thing now where if she doesn't like something, or if you say something to her that she doesn't like, then she kind of like, swings at you. So, we're already starting to implement little things, just like talking to her, like, `Hey, that's not OK.' Stuff like that. I think obviously people took it too far, and thought that I had said that I was doing much worse, and that's not the case.''

Corporal punishment has been under scrutiny after Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson was indicted on a felony child-abuse charge in Texas. Bush was discussing that on WFAN when he talked about his own views as a parent.

''I have a 1-year-old daughter, and I discipline her,'' Bush said on the radio. ''Obviously every person is different. I definitely will use my best judgment to discipline her depending on the situation, on what happens. I definitely will try to, will obviously not leave bruises or anything like that on her, but I definitely will discipline her harshly, depending on what the situation is.''

Moments later, Bush indicated he might use physical punishment.

''I'm going to use my best judgment,'' he said. ''I'm not going to say I'm not going to spank her. Hopefully she won't do anything bad enough to where I have to, but also at the same time, kids are going to be kids. Whatever discipline I give her, it's always out of love, and it's always because I want the best for her.''

On Wednesday, he said he should have kept his thoughts on disciplining his daughter private. The 29-year-old Bush said his mother would spank him when he was growing up near San Diego.

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