America has loved Will Smith since he graced our T.V. screens with his hit show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. And even though the show aired over twenty years ago fans still love and watch his iconic show. Since then, Smith has become a highly sought-after actor after starring in blockbuster film after blockbuster film. And Smith hasn’t slowed down at all after welcoming three kids into this world. When Smith was first married to his now ex-wife, Sheree Zampino, they had a son, Trey, together. And since his new marriage to actress Jada Pinkett Smith, this power couple has had two kids, Jaden and Willow. So keep reading to discover Will Smith’s parenting tips when it comes to raising his kids.
10 10. Treat Them As Equals And Not As Kids
The Smith family is very forward-thinking when it comes to how they raise their children. And one thing that Smith does differently than most parents is that he treats his kids as his equal. For this, it means that Smith doesn't talk down to them or even really question them about their day or their whereabouts and Jada talked about this with Jimmy Fallon on his late show. Though this is great that Smith trusts and respects his kids we are not going to be following this rule 100% as he does. We need to know what is going on with our kids and if that means we have to ask twenty questions to get the information we need, then we will.
9 9. No One Is Perfect
Even our favorite stars kids make mistakes. And in the Smith household making a mistake does not mean that they are going to get in trouble. This is because Smith likes to take these opportunities when his kids do mess up to teach them about the situation and why it was not good and what he expected of them. And this also helps Smith, too, because he knows that he is not perfect either as he told Complex. And he hopes that when he makes a mistake that his kids will be understanding just like he is.
8 8. Forgiveness Is Everything
Smith is known for being wise and knowledgeable beyond his years since he grew up from a teenager to an adult in front of the public eye. And it is important that he taught his kids about forgiveness.
This means that he forgives his kids when they mess up, but also he wants his kids to live a life where they do not hold grudges. Smith knows that holding grudges can drag down a person to living their best life as started by E Online. So Smith encourages his kids to live a life full of love and forgiveness.
7 7. Education Is Important
When Smith’s kids were school age it was very important for him to have his kids be home-schooled. Smith believed that his kids would receive the best education tailored to each one of his kid's needs if they were homeschooled and his wife Jada talked about this to ESSENCE , according to Contact Music. And since his family lives in California he did not want his kids getting lost in the huge schools that the L.A. areas have to offer. So Smith took it upon himself to make sure that his kids get a well-rounded education by having them be home-schooled and to have private tutors. And we applaud Smith for taking his kids' education serious since his family is in the show business.
6 6. Family Time Is Huge
Not only are Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith huge in the entertainment world, but Smith's kids also have found their own path in Hollywood as well. Trey is an actor and D.J. playing at high-end nightclubs, Jaden has starred in numerous blockbuster films and Willow has a singing career and acting career too!
So this family is always busy. But Smith makes it a point to get his family together for some quality time and mentions this important rule with Drive Pedia And sure, their family time might be a little different than ours since they head off to some tropical island or to Europe, but we are just happy to see them all together.
5 5. Their Kids Control Their Own Bodies
As a parent, it can be hard for us to let our kids get more and more independence as they grow up. It’s just because we still see our kids as the little ones they were playing on the playground. So when they want to change their look with haircuts, body piercings, or even just a new wardrobe, we can have a lot of opinions. But in the Smith family, Smith discussed how they let their kids have control over their own bodies with Complex. So when Willow wanted to cut off all of her hair, Smith was supportive and didn’t lecture her about the choice.
4 4. No Punishing Them
Since Smith treats his kids as equals to him and not subordinates this means that he does not punish them. And though there are hundreds of ways to punish children for not listening to their parents, Smith doesn’t do any of it. Smith talked about this on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, as reported by E Online.
This is because when you treat your kids as equal that means that they know what responsibilities they have. And if they do not follow those responsibilities they deal with real-world consequences instead of having him punish them. So take a note from Smith and the next time your kids stay out late and sleep past their opening shift at work, remember that is their responsibility and not yours to wake them up.
3 3. Let Them Live Their Dreams
Since Smith is a well-known name in Hollywood his kids already have a foot in the door for whatever they want to do in life. Smith loves to support and encourage his kids to go after their dreams in life and he discussed this with Haute Living. That is why at a young age Jaden was able to audition and then land leads in films like The Karate Kid and After Earth. And even Willow was able to have top charting hits like “Whip My Hair” when she was still a teenager. So let your kids live their lives and push them to follow their dreams!
2 2. Open Communication
Back in the '80s, it was typical for parents and children to be at a different level of communication. Kids never thought about questioning or talking back to their parents when they said something that they didn’t agree with. And in this day in age, we are happy to hear that Smith wants to be able to have open conversations with his children.
When he as on the Tonight Show Smith talked about his open communication, according to E Online. This type of communication helps you and your kids become closer when they know you are not going to judge them for what they need to say to you.
1 1. Health Is Important
As a parent, you have a lot to teach your kids about what is important in life. And Smith made sure to tell his kids why their health is important. Smith knows that it doesn’t matter how much money you have in the world if you have poor health you cannot escape it. So he shows his kids why they need to eat right and work out to have good health, according to Health Fitness Revolution. And remember, your kids are more likely to do something that they see you partake in, so focus on your health and it will be second nature for your kids to focus on theirs.