Los Angeles, Feb 14 (IANS): Actor Will Smith says his son Jaden only owns one pair of shoes because he refuses to splash the cash.

The 46-year-old admits 16-year-old Jaden, whom he has with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, has a limited selection of items in his wardrobe, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"He has refused to be a slave to money. I so respect that. The younger generation is less of an ownership generation, anyway,” he told Esquire magazine.

But the proud father added: "I would like him to get another pair of shoes."

Jaden is keen to follow in his father's footsteps and become a successful actor, and Will says he finds it interesting to compare their upbringing.

"It's such an interesting thing to watch, because I came from a middle-class background, but, you know, our lights and gas would be cut off from not paying the bill. I grew up in a house where you would need the kerosene heaters in the winter in case the bills didn't get paid. And he's from the complete other end of the spectrum.

"And it's so interesting to me that from growing up in that space, he could see the need for things in a way that he's rejecting. He's like, 'I'm not gonna let myself need things in that way'," he added.