Will Smith working on letting his kids "do their thing"

With his 7 ½-year-old daughter Willow Camille Reign‘s movie Kit Kittredge: An American Girl poised to open directly opposite his own, Hancock, on July 2, actor Will Smith joked with Entertainment Tonight recently that although he’s made it "very clear" that he loves his daughter he nonetheless was "going to have to do the daggone thing to her at the box office."  As for Willow’s assertion that Will, 39, gives acting advice to she and brother Jaden Christopher Syre, turning 10 next month, "24-7" — Will admitted that it’s something "Daddy’s had to work on at home."  He added,

I’ve just got to back up and let them do their thing.  I just feel like I have very very strong opinions about the things that they’re doing in their careers but I need to just allow them to grow and develop and make some decisions on their own.

Willow and Jaden are Will’s children with wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith.  The couple wed in 1997.

Source: Entertainment Tonight; Photo by Startraks.

Comments

I don’t know that children…and young children at that…should be making career decision on their own.

If I had done that when I was 10 (or younger as Willow is), I’d be a princess/Dairy Queen employee/fairy/life guard/veterinarian.

- UggaMugga.com on June 23rd, 2008

I think its good that Will is letting his kids decide if they want to act or not! he isn’t pushing his ideas on them, he is letting them have a mind of their own which is a good thing…..career wise that is…..

- Jess on June 24th, 2008

I can imagine that it must be tough if you introduce your children to the world of acting, that they need to find their own way of doing it, if they are to be their best. But of course parents still need to give advice, and especially children as young as Will’s kids cannot make all the big decisions themselves, they need guidance. But I assume he meant only smaller aspects, like how to interpret a character. And though I haven’t seen Willow in a movie, Jaden was great in the Pursuit of Happiness.

- sunnykidstyle.com on June 24th, 2008

Beautiful kids. The only thing I have noticed about them is that they seem a little too cocky for such YOUNG children! I have seen them both on a couple award show pre-ceremony interviews and I thought, “JEEEEEEZ, attitude much?!” when they spoke. It comes across as arrogant and bratty in a child unfortunatly, but it is probably good for them to be confident. Anyways, I thought i would rant about that! I think both kids are the perfect mix of there parents but Willow looks more like Will.

- Ryan on June 24th, 2008