Will Smith Admits Encouraging “Radical Honesty” With His Kids Was a “Terrible Mistake” [Video]

Will Smith has always been open about his family life, but now he’s admitting that being “too” open at home may have backfired.

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In a recent interview on “Heart Breakfast” with Jamie and Amanda, the actor shared a rare parenting confession: encouraging full-blown honesty with his kids turned out to be one of his biggest regrets.

“We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children, and we went with radical honesty,” Will said bluntly. “Don’t do it. I’m not advocating for it.”

He explained that he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, made a deal with their children early on: Jaden and Willow could always tell the truth without fear of punishment.

“The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don’t tell the truth,” Will recalled. “It’s a mistake. It’s terrible. Because they do whatever they want and then just come tell you. It’s awful, don’t try it.”

Will didn’t sugarcoat the experience. “You want your kids to lie, definitely,” he added. “You don’t want to know some of the stuff your kids are thinking of doing.”

The “Fresh Prince” star is father to three children: 32-year-old Trey (with ex-wife Sheree Zampino), Jaden, 26, and Willow, 24, with Jada.

After all these years, he’s come to realize that total transparency might sound ideal, but in real-life parenting, some truths are better left unsaid.