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Parents Do Understand: Jaden Smith Wants To Be Emancipated
Jaden Smith wants to be emancipated from dad Will by his 15th birthday. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
What does Jaden Smith want for his 15th birthday? To be emancipated from his famous parents, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Jaden, who co-stars with his father in the upcoming sci-fi action flick After Earth, surprised his dad with the unorthodox wish, Will told the British newspaper The Sun. "He says, 'Dad, I want to be emancipated.' I know if we do this, he can be an emancipated minor, because he really wants to have his own place, like ooh."
Smith didn't say whether he's going to fulfill that request by Jaden's birthday in July (or who'd be footing the bill if his son does get his own house), but added, "If kids just want to have command of their lives, I understand." And they say parents just don't understand!
In their new film, they also play father and son, with Jaden's character striving to live up to the reputation of his legendary father. "It's very similar for Jaden and me," Will explained. "Your father's the biggest movie star in the world, and you're struggling for your little piece of dignity in this extreme shadow."
The Smiths have previously shown a light hand in their parenting approach, such as letting daughter Willow shave her head. "We generally don't believe in punishment. From the time Jaden was five or six 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," said Will. "So I'll say to Jaden, 'Why was that the right thing to do for your life?' and if he can explain why kicking his sister in the chest was the right thing to do, we can see to it that he understands that it wasn't so smart."
Jaden previously starred with his dad in The Pursuit of Happyness and opposite Jackie Chan in the hit remake of The Karate Kid. Jaden's net worth (sans Mom and Dad) is reportedly $8 million, so he can probably buy a new house all by himself.
Meanwhile, daughter Willow shows no signs of wanting to move out on her own. She dropped out of a planned production of Annie because she "just wanted to be 12."
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