I have to admit that I’m facinated by Will and Jada Smith’s parenting style. They are a beautiful mixture of insane and sweet. Here’s what he says about fostering creativity in the house:
You think you’re boring?
Will: I think that if you were to come to the house, people would really be surprised at how simple and basic it is. Our whole dream for our home was for it to be an artist’s haven. So there are paint supplies; there’s a piano with a microphone and a recorder right there to capture things right in the second. There’s editing equipment. There are cameras. I think the only thing in our house that people would be surprised by is the efficiency.
Like staffing?
Will: No, just how serious we are about how the microphone at the piano has to be on and the recorder has to be ready to go for when somebody gets an idea. The paint supplies have got to be kept up—you know, you cannot go to paint something and a color’s empty.
Is it true that you alphabetized your laser discs?
Will: Yeah, I’m very, very serious about systems supporting creative inspiration.
Apt. 11d 
Oh, I would love to have paint supplies, piano, microphone, cameras always ready to go when creativity struck. I have dreams about being that organized. I wonder if I’d be happy if there was someone who did it for me (always kept all my cupboards stocked, the scissors int he right place, . . . .), or if my dream is actually that I have it that organized.
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For us, encouraging creativity is a big priority. And we also have an easel, paints, brushes, papers of various sorts, markers, glue, scissors, etc. out on the kitchen table. If it isn’t accessible, it won’t be used.
For me it’s like having books out and around too – you’ll make more art if the art supplies are out and you’ll read more books if the books are available.
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Although his parents eventually split, it sounds like Will Smith was from a very middle class background. Wikipedia says he applied to and was admitted to MIT to a pre-engineering program (his dad worked in refrigeration). I believe his mother was a graduate of a good college.
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