Jada Pinkett Smith Interview with Uptown Magazine

On critics of her kids
“There are so many other kids you can worry about. My kids? They’re going to be all right. I get why people would criticize. But people need to know that Will and I would never put our children in a situation that would bring them detriment, my kids have no idea how I grew up, Even in knowing my story, they couldn’t know what that means. They have no RE-ALI-TY. None.

My feeling is, my kids need to have challenges, in a safe way. If I survived everything that I survived in Baltimore and Will survived everything he survived in Philly, these kids surely can survive the Hollywood game.

With so many heavyweights surrounding them—from Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony—if they can fail in a circle like that, then they weren’t going to win in the first place. All I want for Trey (Will’s oldest son from his first marriage), Jaden, and Willow is happiness.

On Ending Hеr Music Career
Whеn Jaden dіd Thе Pursuit οf Happyness, I wаѕ supposed tο gο οn tour wіth Guns N’ Roses іn Europe.[...][Turning down the offer and disbanding the group] wаѕ probably thе mοѕt heartbreaking experience. Bυt whаt I realized іѕ thаt sometimes God wіll рlасе things іn уουr life thаt wіll mаkе уου recognize whаt уουr priorities аrе. I adore mу son; hе’s mу soul seed. Thеrе wаѕ nο way thаt I wаѕ going tο allow hіm tο dο [a movie] аnd nοt hаνе hіѕ mother. I miss [my music career] tremendously, but it’s one of those things that I wear with a badge of honor because it expresses what I prioritize, and that’s my family.

On spending time with Will
We create together; we love on each other, We raise our kids together. We are building something together. People think that Will and I don’t spend a lot of time together. Too much time, actually, if you ask me, It’s always nice to have a little time apart. Sometimes you need that.

On how she will spend her 40th birthday this year
This year I’m going to have a quiet birthday. I’ve gone through a major transition. I lost my father, I lost my father’s mother, and I lost my aunt, all within a matter of 12 months. It helped me realize, Jada, you’re going into the next phase in your life. And what old skin I had to shed in order to take on this second half, I did. And that, to me, is the celebration.”