Jan 28, 2011 16:18 GMT  ·  By

With Willow Smith getting ready to go on tour with none other than Justin Bieber and brother Jaden Smith being in one of the hottest movies of last year, the Smiths seem quite prodigal children. Only that they’re not, author Terry McMillan says on her Twitter.

The author, known for her works “Waiting to Exhale” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” took to her Twitter page to speak her mind on how she feels about Will and Jada pushing the two children into showbiz at such an early age.

Most stars keep the children sheltered from everything that goes on in Hollywood until they’re the right age and they can decide for themselves whether they want to be in showbiz or not.

With the Smiths, the exact opposite has happened: Willow became an international superstar at 9, and Jaden when she was only a few years older – and it’s not right for parents to rob them of their childhood only because they want to cash in on them.

“The Smith children already act like child stars. There’s an arrogance in their demeanor and behavior. I find it incredibly sad. It feels like the Smith children are being pimped and exploited. Or, they’re already hungry for fame. What about 4th grade?” McMillan asks.

Showbiz is ripe with examples of child stars who went on to make a mess of their lives – and the Smiths should have known better than to push their own kids into this, the author writes.

“A lot of A-list movie stars shielded their children from the Hollywood-world until they were old enough to decide. Look at those who didn’t. Look at Lindsay. Phoenix. To name but a few. They miss out on childhood. It’s more important than fame,” McMillan points out.

“These kids don’t already know what they ‘love.’ Total [expletive]. They’re not prodigies. They think Hollywood is real. Why don't they do a remake of The Little Rascals and call it a day? Or, come up with an original film with some ethnic pride. Come on,” the author further says.

She concludes by saying that, while she criticizes the Smiths for how they’re managing the children’s career, she personally loved “Karate Kid,” so she’s not speaking out of resentment, or anything like that.