Jada Pinkett-Smith responds to parenting critics: ‘I expect my children to be giants’
VIDEO - During an interview with theGrio, Jada Pinkett Smith defends her and her husband Will Smith's decision to let their children Willow and Jaden into show business at such a young age...
Jada Pinkett-Smith along with Will Smith and Jay-Z, serve as executive producers of the political-crime-drama documentary Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.
The film, which hits theaters in select cities tomorrow, tells the story of political icon, Angela Davis, whose trial on murder charges back in the early 1970’s sparked international protests.
The bullying of child celebrities
During part 1 of her interview with theGrio’s Chris Witherpoon, Pinkett Smith discusses how she got involved with Free Angela, and also weighs in on young celebrity bullying.
Recently the Set it Off actress defended young stars like Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Quevenzhané Wallis in an essay she wrote on her Facebook page.
Pinkett Smith opened up to theGrio on the feedback she has received from her essay on bullying.
“Now we’re moving outside of the idea of bullying and now I feel like it’s the breeding ground for prejudice,” Pinkett Smith said. “It’s something that we have to be very careful of… and the idea that dehumanizing individuals because their famous is okay in the media, and it can be considered journalism, it can be considered telling a story, when in actuality it’s exploitation.”
A rebuttal to critics of her parenting skills
The 41-year-old mother of two, along with her husband Will Smith, has thus far successfully navigated parenting, however Pinkett Smith says she understands there are some people out there that might criticize her and Will for putting their kids [Willow,12, and Jaden, 14,] in the spotlight too early.
“I say I understand. I definitely get that. But as a parent I will never ask my children to be less. I will never decrease their power or their opportunities because of obstacles that other people will create for them, because that is life…. I’m going to educate my children and empower them in a way that they can have whatever, because when you want to be a giant in this world you gotta be able to confront all of that, and I expect my children to be giants, in whatever nature they decide.
“I don’t care if Willow wants to own a gas station, she better be a giant doing it. I will never ever ask my children to be lesser than because of a collective.”
In Part 2 of her interview with theGrio, Pinkett Smith talks about why she decided to produce ‘Free Angela and All Political Prisoners’ and what it was like collaborating with Jay-Z on the project.
Follow Chris Witherspoon on Twitter at @WitherspoonC
