Will Smith Talks Parenting: We Don't Do Punishment

[Honey]

Will Smith was asked in an interview about how he raises his kids. His answer was very telling, and explains why the Smith kids are basically running their own careers andbeing expected to face deep adult issues on camera. He says he treats them like adults, basically, and judging from his answer I would say he’s done that since they were little. It’s sad for them and makes me want to protect them. Remember that Willow is just 12 and Jaden is 14.

“We don’t do punishment. The way that we deal with our kids is, they are responsible for their lives. Our concept is, as young as possible, give them as much control over their lives as possible and the concept of punishment, our experience has been – it has a little too much of a negative quality.
So when they do things – and you know, Jaden, he’s done things – you can do anything you want as long as you can explain to me why that was the right thing to do for your life.”

[From Metro.us via Starcasm]

This is Scientology-speak. This is how the Scientologists treat kids, like little adults who are responsible for themselves and don’t need parenting. The cult’s doctrinepreaches “self-determination” for children which may sound ok as some kind of theory, but often becomes neglect and abuse in practice. Little kids in no way have the maturity or capability of adults, and they need our guidance and help. This is a recipefor disaster like so much other crap in Scientology.
Will Smith’s private school uses Scientology “teaching” materials which are wholly unproven and can be harmful, so I guess it’s not surprising that he follows their recommendations for raising his children. I now believe the rumors that the Smiths are undercover Scientologists and that they’ve been hiding it for years. I’ve been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until now, but no longer. It’s just a shame because the kids are the ones who suffer the most, and I’ll leave it at that. At least Willow and Jaden won’t be expected to join Sea Org.

Cele|bitchy » Blog Archive » Will Smith on parenting: ‘as young as possible, give them as much control as possible’

[levitt]

No wonder his kids are little shits. Take some responsibility.
eta: Celebitchy pisses me off too

[faithanne]

^At least this time celebitchy's intimate psychoanalysis of their lives and loves was pretty spot on. Most of the time she talks about celebrities and their problems as if they're her dearest friends who she's lying awake at night worrying about.

[Quazar]

Well you're just punishing us with your kids instead.

[Novice]

So you're raising arseholes. Good to know.

[Brookie]

Sounds like they don't do much of anything.

[rockchick]

Sounds like they don't do much of anything.

No the brat son practices making stupid faces in the mirror.

[KrisNine]

I don't know that SeaOrg is off limits, David Miscavige's own niece, nephew and brother were all SeaOrg.

[Karistiona]

The Xenu is strong in this one.

[ConstanceSpry]

I am surprised to read this, I was sure they regularly beat both kids with an ugly stick.

[Laurent]

you can do anything you want as long as you can explain to me why that was the right thing to do for your life.

Because a 6th and 8th grader really know what's best for their own lives at all times. There's giving your kids some freedom to develop and then there's giving them carte blanche to become insufferable jackasses.

[Flygirl]

This is how I was with my baby from the very beginning....she has always known what's best for her. When she was a baby, I tried to reason with her about sleeping on her back, but she explained to me that it was her life and sleeping on her stomach was the most comfortable. Again, later on when she was a toddler and would ride her tricycle in the middle of the street. She explained to me the pavement is sooo much smoother in the road than the driveway so it just makes sense. Imagine if I had tried to restrict her!

[MsDark]

Insufferable asshole behavior explained.

[faithanne]

I don't know that SeaOrg is off limits, David Miscavige's own niece, nephew and brother were all SeaOrg.

Celebrities manage to avoid it because they can make more money and shill for the cult if they're working.

[Geest]

I sort of see his point (read an interview with Will and his son) and I do think kids need to be given responsibilities but man, it should be age appropriate and there are situations when you have to put your foot down and do some parenting in the old sense.

What they say and advocate presumes that these kids inherently know right from wrong and would act up on it. Since it cannot be the case, I really hope they achieve this knowledge in their children by spending 24/7 with their children, constantly talking through what's going on around them in order for them to be able to make an informed decision about anything that will affect their lives. Yeah, I don't think so either. So they become simply spoilt brats.