Jaden Smith ‘not going anywhere,’ but the young star is off to a good start

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It’s safe to say Jaden learned many of life’s ropes early on, breaking into the film business at the age of 8 for 2006’s Pursuit of Happyness. To date, his credits on screen include The Karate Kid and The Day the Earth Stood Still, along with his new starring role in After Earth and small television appearances.

Beyond movies, Jaden’s career spans into the music and fashion industries. He began earning street cred as a rapper after Justin Bieber featured him on the track “Never Say Never” in 2011, and subsequently, he put out a mixtape of his own the following year. In November, he launched his own clothing line, MSFTS, a brand of skateboarder-type casual wear including hoodies, t-shirts and pants.

Explaining his approach with Jaden, Will indicated that his and Jada’s strategy has always been to let their kids use their best judgment.

“We generally don’t believe in punishment,” Will told The Sun. “From the time Jaden was 5 or 6 we would sit him down, and all he has to do is be able to explain why what he did was the right thing for his life…The rule in our house is you can do anything that you want, and we don’t pull the parent card until danger is involved.”

Yet from Ho’s perspective, Jaden’s alleged cry for autonomy doesn’t typically hit lightly for a family.

“There is a sense of loss usually from the parent,” she points out. “They feel rejected by the child, it can definitely lead to a lot of familial conflict.”

Of course, other contingencies would play into Jaden’s situation. Celebrities typically have a team of advisors on hand assisting with their every need, but keeping those consultants in check requires a senior level of experience.

“As a 15-year-old, you know very little about the way the world is supposed to work on a lot of practical matters,” Ho observes. “You see this all the time when celebrities go bankrupt because they trusted the wrong advisers…And then because he is a celebrity, there are going to be people who want to get close to him for other reasons, so he may get taken advantage of; he may be naïve socially.”

Similarly, Dr. Judy Rosenberg, a psychologist and founder of Be The Cause, suggests the repercussions of freedom for a child star like Jaden could stretch beyond financial matters into his personal life. Jaden has already been romantically linked to other celebrities, including Kylie Jenner and Stella Hudgens, sister of Vanessa Hudgens.

“It sounds like he’s already taking on a lot of adult roles, and because he’s taking on a lot of adult roles, he’s probably thinking he’s an adult,” Rosenberg remarks. “What I’ve found when children are prematurely launching out of the house, and they don’t have time to grow up, then the growing up takes place out of the home. It can get messy in terms of decision making.”

Jaden’s off to a good start

Needless to say, keeping up with the Smith family has never been quite the same as the Joneses.

Will and Jada are A-list movie stars whose 16-year marriage has long been the subject of sensational rumors. Daughter Willow, 12, followed in her big brother’s footsteps and jumped into the performance fray early. As a pop musician, she became the youngest recording artist signed to Jay-Z’s record label RocNation with her hit “Whip My Hair,” and has appeared in several movies.

In a recent interview with theGrio, Jada justified her and Will’s decision to let their children take on Hollywood.

“As a parent I will never ask my children to be less,” she said. “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.”

According to Black Enterprise, the Smith family is worth an estimated $232 million as a unit. That figure breaks down individually as: Will Smith, $200 million; Jada Pinkett-Smith, $20 million; Jaden Smith, $8 million; and Willow Smith $4 million.

In other words, Jaden would definitely be able to hit the ground running, once he’s truly ready to strike out on his own.

Rosenberg adds that if Jaden ultimately decides to leave home at a young age, it wouldn’t necessarily be tragic.

“It could be a sign he’s responsible at a younger age, and maybe [Will] can feel some sort of assurance that he’s hit maturity a little earlier,” she says. “That would suggest he [and Jada] did a good job as a parent.”

Follow Courtney Garcia on Twitter at @courtgarcia.