Every parent endeavors to bring up their children to be self-reliant, knowing that someday, they’ll venture out to shape their own destinies, perhaps even start their own families. Witnessing this transition can be a bittersweet experience. Such was the case for celebrity couple Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith. Despite anticipating that their mature and independent son, Jaden, might express a desire to live independently around the age of 16 or 17, they were taken aback when he broached the topic at just 15.
Being born to renowned personalities like Jada and Will meant that Jaden and his sister, Willow, were constantly in the public eye, depriving them of an ordinary childhood. In a 2018 interview with Dazed Magazine, Jaden revealed, “People treat me like I’m not normal so much that I sometimes question my own normality.” However, he found solace in his local skater friends, mentioning that without the burdens of fame, he would’ve loved to spend his days skating with them.
His father, Will, during a conversation with BBC Radio 1Xtra, described Jaden as fearless and unapologetically authentic, saying, “He doesn’t concern himself with what people think.” This unflinching attitude possibly influenced Jaden’s decision to seek independence from his family home. Jada, reflecting on the episode of Red Table Talk, described it as one of the most heart-wrenching moments of her life. Jaden, being just 15, needed legal emancipation, which would require parental consent. Despite her apprehensions, Jada felt that this step might be in Jaden’s best interest. Her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, however, disagreed and would’ve approached the situation differently.
Many have been critical of the Smiths’ unconventional parenting methods, but Jada remains unfazed. She once told Will, “We’ll be lucky to keep him [Jaden] in the house until he’s 16” due to Jaden’s precocious nature. She believed that granting him his freedom early on would ensure his eventual return.
Jaden, now 23, chose to live with his parents until 2017. He now owns a property worth $4 million, just a short distance from his parents’ residence. Reflecting on his decision, Jaden humorously commented to Ellen DeGeneres in 2013, “Everything at [Will’s] house is free… I’m going to be there for 20, 30 years,” adding that his father jokingly said he could have his own place when he stars in a film bigger than any of Will’s.
