This Crafty Dad Used His Daughter's Ray Rice Jersey To Send A Positive Message

Now that's smart parenting.

Two Christmases ago, Maryland dad Bryan Bartlett gave his kids Ray Rice jerseys. After the running back's recent scandal, he decided to transform the shirts to send out a positive message.

Although some people have been returning, trashing, or burning their jerseys after a video emerged of Rice knocking out his then-fiancée, the Bartletts are Ravens fans and wanted to take a more peaceful route.

"It just seemed over the top to destroy it," the Ellicott City, Maryland, resident told TODAY Parents. "It just kind of popped into my head: Rice, nice."

After his wife Angie posted the picture to her Facebook page, the jersey went viral online. Bartlett added that he made sure his children did not see the "horrible" clip of Rice and Janay Palmer in the elevator.

"I was just hopefully teaching my daughter that we expect that guys always are nice to you and treat you with respect and that you don't put up with anybody being mean or hitting you or anything like that ever. It's just never acceptable," he said.

And the Bartletts weren't the only ones with the jersey idea: mom Kate Sprague also redesigned her 2-year-old son Jackson's jersey with the same message.

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