It turns out Jaden Smith is quite the manipulator when it comes to getting what he wants for his birthday.
His father, actor Will Smith, recently opened up about his son’s trickster ways by explaining Jaden suggested it might be fun for their family to go to London for the big celebration.
The Men In Black star explained, “We go to a restaurant, and Jaden was particularly excited, you know? We sit down at the restaurant and he looks at the waiter and he says, ‘I’ll have a tequila!'”
If you’re thinking ‘Hey, what now?!’ you’re not alone.
Naturally, Will asked his son, “Woah, man, hold up. What you doing?”
But the trendsetter was ready, pointing out, “Drinking age is 18 in England, dad!”
And that’s when Will realized he’d been duped into celebrating abroad. He went on to recall, “I was thinking fast — I said, ‘Oh, but hold on, hold on, it’s only noon in Los Angeles and you weren’t born ’til 4pm so you’re not 18 yet!'”
And this is the part in which we might judge the Pinkett-Smiths for their son’s early drinking antics. Are you into it?
There is a small part of me that wants to pull a horrified face over Jayden’s manipulation, because it kind of stinks he went to such great lengths to dupe his parents, but is it really that terrible?
As a teen I kept up my grades, I played sports and I played hooky. I technically drank underage, but overall I swear I was a good kid, and I don’t think imbibing early changes that.
My first drink occurred abroad, as Jaden was aiming for. I hadn’t ever had alcohol until I went with my BFF’s mom to visit her in Germany at the end of her study-abroad experience. We then drove to Italy, Austria and Switzerland, and at some point we ordered beers.
There was also a dinner at which my friend ordered a “corkscrew” instead of a “screwdriver” and we laughed until there were tears in our eyes, and our non-English speaking waiter had was left dumbfounded.
My goodness, it was fun, and her mom was there to keep a watchful eye on us.
I can’t say that I hope my boys drink “underage,” as 21 is the norm here, but I do hope that I get to be a part of their first experience. I’d love for it to be abroad, as I’m desperate to show them the world — but what if those travel dreams don’t become a reality? I’m really not sure what we’ll do.
When did you have your first drink, and how did you come by it? How do you imagine you’ll introduce your kids to alcohol?
Join the conversationPhotos: PR Photos
In honor of Jaden Smith’s recent 18th birthday, a look back at his family through the years:
