Page 11 - Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Getting Paid to Party
11
Will Jr. later said that both his parents had strong
beliefs about child rearing. His mother’s emphasis was
education. She read to Will constantly, and he especially
loved the rhyming books by Dr. Seuss. Will’s father was a
tough disciplinarian. Like many parents at that time, he
spanked his children for misbehaving. Will later said that
he had little problem with his father’s discipline: “It’s hard,
but not any harder than the world is. I believe in corporal
punishment. My father trained good soldiers. I’m ready to
deal with whatever life has to offer.”2
Smith believes it was the partnership of both his
parents that motivated him. “Life is about balance,” he
said. “If my mother wasn’t in the house, who knows how
I would have reacted to that militaristic upbringing? I had
the best of both worlds.”3
Will’s mother wanted her children to get the best
schooling available. Even though she worked for the public
school system, Caroline Smith thought her son would
benefit from a parochial school, where religious values as
well as basic learning are emphasized. Although the Smiths
are Baptist, five-year-old Will was enrolled in Our Lady of
Lourdes, a Catholic school. He was one of the few African-
American students at the school.
Will proved to be a good student, doing well in math,
science, and English. He loved writing poetry, and his
teachers were impressed by his creativity. Will particularly
liked to have fun in class, entertaining other kids with his
jokes and stories.