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| Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic |
Will Smith talked on the effects on his family when his and Jada Pinkett Smith's children Jaden and Willow started their Hollywood careers in 2010 at the ages of 11 and 9 respectively.
Even though the Smiths are a famous family, living in the spotlight hasn't always been simple.
That was particularly true for Jaden Smith and Willow Smith, the children of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, as they began their respective acting and singing careers at such an early age, as Will Smith recently disclosed.
The Oscar winner said of the beginning of his children's careers, "2010 was like the greatest year as an artist, as a parent," during the July 3 Hart to Heart episode. "Karate Kid was released in June, and 'Whip My Hair' in October. I'm creating the family of my dreams in my head. "I'll do it better than my father did it," you say. My father was abusive, and we've talked about it. I vowed to myself that I would never be able to share that type of energy with my family, and I even had a fantasy or notion of one that I was creating. I basically achieved everything I had ever hoped for between 2010 and 2012.
However, pushing their then-11-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter to follow in their parents' footsteps in Hollywood backfired at first.
"Nobody in my family was happy," Will affirmed. "No one desired to be a platoon member. I first understood that success and wealth don't equate to happiness when Willow started the revolt. Up until that time, I firmly thought that you could achieve success on your own terms and win your way to happiness, including a home and a family.
The Men in Black actor came to the important conclusion that "Material circumstances do not equal happiness and, in many cases, they can be the reason you're not happy" as a result of Jaden and Willow's discontent.
Will said, "You can have so much things that it makes you miserable. "That was my first pull-back, and I was like, 'OK, what am I missing?'"
The 54-year-old said it was a turning point that motivated him to begin reading books and studying psychology. He is also the father of son Trey, 30, with his former lover Sheree Zampino. Will acknowledged that, with his happiness at all the success, "I was driving the people around me in a way that I was leaving scorched earth around me."
Will claimed that as a result of the encounter, he "discovered feelings" that he had previously suppressed in his quest for achievement. You can't worry about feelings, I don't give an f--k about feelings, he said. If you're worried about how you feel, how can you win however, he stated, "That doesn't work at home."