Jada Pinkett Smith is grateful for Will

Jada Pinkett Smith ''thanks goodness'' she is not a single mother because she grew up in a one-parent family.

Jada Pinkett Smith "thanks goodness" she is not a single mother.

The 'Hawthorne' actress was raised in a single-parent family and is glad she is in a stable relationship and has husband Will Smith to support her with parental responsibilities.

Jada - who has children Jaden, 13, and Willow, 10, with Will - said: "Thank goodness they have a father and I don't have to raise them alone.

"Having been raised by a single mother I'm very clear on what the difficulties of being raised by a single mother are.

"It's very hard when you don't have a male component in the home to create balance and help in the decision making. Sometimes it's nice to be able to just pass the ball, like, 'tag, you're it, you got this one'."

However, Jada doesn't feel there is anything wrong with growing up in a single parent family and says religion has always helped her to focus.

She added to Britain's OK! magazine: "Growing up, though, being in a one parent family was all I knew. It was just me and my mom and we had fun."

Of religion Jada added: "You must have it. Religion keeps you grounded and focussed.

"I'm not actually a Scientologist. People make assumptions about what I believe but my religion is love."