Though he's known for keeping his family drama close to the vest, Will Smith just made surprisingly candid admissions about raising his three children. His words will no doubt stun fans of the self-proclaimed perfectionist.
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The Oscar-winning actor opened up on the U.K.’s radio show, “Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden,” reflecting on parental missteps, particularly with implementing his “no punishment” rule that he now calls a mistake with his three children -- Jaden Smith, 26, Willow Smith, 24, with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Trey Smith, 32, with ex-wife Sheree Zampino.
“We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children, and we went with radical honesty. Don’t do it. I’m not advocating for it,” Smith warned. “Because they do whatever they want and then they come tell you.”
While promoting his latest single, “Pretty Girls”, the “Men In Black” actor poked fun at his past parenting choices with Pinkett Smith.
“We made a deal from like really young with our kids. The deal was that if you tell the truth, you won’t get in trouble.” Smith explained. “The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don’t tell the truth.”
This untraditional parenting method backfired, leading Smith to jokingly share, “You want your kids to lie. You don’t want to know some of the stuff that your kids are thinking and doing.”
Beyond his family matters, the “Bad Boys” actor discussed his return to music with “Based On A True Story - Season 1: Rave In the Wasteland,” his first album in two decades, which dropped in March.
“I think as an actor, I feel like I’ve gotten to a height that I’m excited to try to reach with music,” Smith explained. “Music is my love. When you drop a record that the crowd has been waiting for, there is literally nothing in entertainment that feels like that” – he mimicked gasping for air, conveying the audience’s excitement – “when the audience knows. And I’m excited to get back in that and try to my talent to the level of my talent as an actor.”
Smith will begin his European summer tour June 25, including tour stops in Paris, Frankfurt, and Budapest.
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