Will Smith Breaks Down As He Talks About His Challenging Father And The Way It Shaped His Parenting

Will Smith, an A-list actor, is recognized for his big-screen performances in Hollywood, but he’s also a devoted family guy. Will Smith is a happy father to his three children and is married to Jada Pinkett Smith, 50. Trey Smith, 29, is his eldest child from his first marriage, while Will and Pinkett Smith have a son Jaden, 23, and a daughter Willow, 21. The entire family frequently attends events together and is proud of one another’s accomplishments.

Will did an intimate interview on his wife’s show, “Red Table Talk,” for a Father’s Day special in 2020, when he frankly recounted his experience of parenthood. Pinkett Smith’s normal co-hosts — her daughter and mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones — were not there for the broadcast, making the conversation between husband and wife extra intimate.

The theme was parenthood, and Will began by talking about his own father, Willard Carroll Smith Sr., who was a tumultuous figure in Will’s childhood home. Caroline Bright, the actor’s mother, was abused by his father, according to the actor. He stated:

“My father was a tad bit irritable. I was a lovely kid who didn’t need to be slapped, punched, or beaten. As a result, growing up in an environment where physical abuse was tolerated chafed my skin. That stung my soul.”

Will noted that while his father’s faults and weaknesses were terrible at the time, he was able to learn from them and eliminate the bad qualities so that he could be a better parent to his own children.

Will understood exactly the attributes he didn’t want to have when he became a father after witnessing his father grow violent. He claimed to wanting to be a parent since he was six years old. Will was sophisticated enough to comprehend what effective parenting entailed even as a youngster. He stated, ”

“I adored my family, but I knew there were major flaws in my father’s upbringing that I wanted to address.”

He continued:

“By the time I was ten years old, I recall thinking to myself that I could do it better than my father.”

Despite being aware of his father’s flaws, Will was eager to point out the multitude of abilities he possessed. The fact that he was a teacher was the first of the “outstanding” features of his character. “Every single event was a teaching moment,” Will stated. He went on to say:

“He thought that school was not the only place where you could get an education, and that school was really getting in the way of his education. And his view was that “you can’t father from afar.” He wanted his children to be by his side when he was doing what he did best in the world so that he could be seen in his best light and educate from moment to moment.”

Willard’s amazing work as a teacher was showcased in an interview Will conducted with him before his death from illness in 2016. Willard recounted a tale of a lesson he taught his children when they were little, which he disclosed is the one he returns to the most throughout his life.

Willard talked about an ancient building he had bought that was in bad shape. He intended to rebuild it with the help of his children. “If we simply lay one beautiful brick at a time, we’ll have a good foundation and it’ll last,” he assured the youngsters, who believed it was an impossible feat. They began construction on the structure in the spring and were able to close the roof around Christmas Eve. Willard claimed the kids were overjoyed, and as tears welled up in his eyes, he remarked:

“See? If we set our minds to it, we can do everything we strive hard enough to achieve.”

He continued:

“That was perhaps one of the most effective courses I’ve ever given. And it’s true that if you lay a nice solid foundation, your structure will survive considerably longer and perform much better. And you are the structure.”

Will and Pinkett Smith were moved to tears as the actor spoke about the significance of that lesson in his life. He said that it accurately represented his father’s teaching techniques and that the process assisted him in overcoming his fear of the unattainable. He went on to say that his father’s lessons helped him father his three children since he didn’t compel them to attend school. He continued:

“I discovered that school is everywhere. That anything you do must be done well. Cleaning the kitchen isn’t beyond getting good marks.”

The main effects on Will’s parenting were the lesson and “the sense of having to contribute,” he added.

The actor went on to say more about his childhood with his father:

“Well, he instilled such great traits in me that are a large part of what made me’me,’ and I witnessed (my father) beat up my mother as the yin to every yang. So he also gave the largest emotional scar I’ve ever had in my life. He showed me many things that I wanted to do, but he also showed me things that I would never, ever do to my children.”

Will then talked about how frightening it was for him to become a father at the age of 24. It was the first time he felt the actual weight of motherhood, he said. He confessed:

“That, I believe, was the first time I realized the true gravity of parenthood. I recall bringing him home and putting him in the bassinet… It was a terrifying experience. This existence is all my responsibility… I was sobbing uncontrollably. It’s causing me to cry right now.”

He became pretty emotional as he wiped away tears and even requested a tissue. He was resolved not to allow his fears and worries prevent him from becoming a wonderful father. Pinkett Smith agreed with Will, saying that his father was the inspiration for her husband’s perseverance.

“‘My father did this, my father did that,’ ‘when I’m a parent…,’ and then it dawned on me how delicate parenting is. And I could see all the incredible teachings — everything my father had put in me — and I said to myself, “There’s no way.” I’m not that good, but you know how my mind works: I got a nice night’s rest and it was game time, “Will come to an end.

Source: timeslive.co.za