Father and Daughter Boundaries
During his interview with Jimmy Fallon, Will explained to the host, “As a father, you do not want a circle of safety with a 15-year-old daughter. You do not… I’m like, ‘Baby, you need to start lying!’”
While they were being honest with each other, the A-list actor also told the truth to his daughter and asked her to talk about certain subjects exclusively with her mother Jada. He joked in the interview, “[I’m like,] ‘Nope! You and your mom can talk about that one!’”
The Circle of Safety
The only important rule about the circle of safety is that you have to be fully honest and forthcoming. No one gets punished, no matter what they reveal, but there will be consequences against any family member who fails to disclose the truth. In 2016, Smith told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.
“[In the circle of safety, the kids are] allowed to tell us everything that they did, and they can’t get in trouble… The rule is, if we find out after the circle of safety that there was something you didn’t say, there was hell to pay.”
Sharing isn't Necessarily Caring
Although the idea is certainly commendable, there are many things that children don't want to share with their parents for various reasons. It didn’t take long for the Smith's to realize that forcing their children to share everything about their lives might backfire horribly.
Will admitted later that having his fifteen-year-old daughter, Willow, share her deepest thoughts and feelings, was a bit too much for your average dad to listen to.
The Trendsetters
The Smiths' free and relaxed approach when it came to raising their children, along with a strong push for authentic communication caused some unintended consequences. Jaden and Willow often choose their own wacky hairdos and fashion decisions.
Despite pressures from the media, Will and Jada have always supported their children’s decisions when it came to fashion, although there were admittedly some very strange ones.
Not So Traditional
As an example, Will has often seen his son, Jaden, wear various articles of clothing that are traditionally considered as feminine. The young boy has been spotted wearing everything from skirts to full-blow dresses. Despite some public backlash, his father fully supports whatever Jaden decides to wear.
In a recent interview on BBC Radio 1Xtra, Will told the host that he views his son as “100 percent fearless”, and explained just how proud he is of Jaden’s various life choices.