Will Smith Talks about Relationship with Daughter Willow

Will Smith has opened up about his relationship with his daughter, Willow Smith.

Willow, who turns 17 in October, has been in the limelight since she was a little girl. She rose to fame in 2010 with the release of her first single, ‘Whip My Hair’, the music video of which stars a sassy Willow whipping her hallmark locks back and forth.

In what was considered by many as a ‘controversial parenting move’, Will and wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, allowed Willow to go on a world tour, to perform her hit songs ‘Whip My Hair’ and ‘21st Century Girl.’

Willow, who was only 10 at the time, seemed to struggle with the pressures of a world tour; something Will Smith recently admitted in Jay-Z’s new ‘Footnotes of Adnis’ video.

Will opened up about some of his daughter’s impulsive and troubling behaviour during her tour.

“We came downstairs and she had shaved her head bald. She shaved her head bald in the middle of her ‘Whip My Hair’ tour. I was like, ‘Oh…[sic],” Will said.

He revealed that Willow had wanted to end the tour prematurely and return home, but that he had pushed her to continue. However, Smith soon realised his mistake as well as the importance of putting her needs above work commitments.

He continued, saying that the experience made him gentler with his daughter and to appreciate her emotional needs.

“For me, it was that soldier that was pushing and wasn’t paying any attention whatsoever to what was going on emotionally with this beautiful little creature in front of me. That was the first part of the collapsing of my father’s suit that I was wearing that wasn’t mine,” he said.

Will and Jada have been very open in the past about their parenting with their children, including 19-year-old son, Jaden Smith.

They believe that an open, honest relationship with children is the best way.

Image credit: Will & Willow Smith (2015) [online image] sourced on 2 August 2017 at http://popcrush.com/will-smith-willow-smith-birthday-message/