Jennifer Hudson wants soon-to-turn-16 son David to get job

Jennifer Hudson is gearing up for a big milestone in her son's life, his very first job.

While speaking with PEOPLE during a panel at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 5, the EGOT winner opened up about how much her son, David Daniel Otunga Jr., has grown and how she's encouraging him to start taking on responsibilities.

“He is not a little kid anymore,” she shared, adding that her son will turn 16 on the 10th of this month. Hudson, 43, didn’t hold back when explaining her parenting approach. 

“It’s time for him to get a job,” she said. “I said, ‘Listen, I didn’t grow up like [this]. I made it so you get to grow up this way. And I worked for everything I have and so you're going to have to start earning your keep, too.’ Because our kids need that.”

David Jr., whom Hudson shares with ex-fiancé David Otunga, is stepping into a new phase of life as he heads into his junior year of high school. According to his proud mom, he’s really into basketball and music. She also noted that he's grown so tall, people often mistake him for an adult. 

“People are like, ‘Who that man Jennifer with?’ And I'm like, ‘Y’all, that’s my son.’ That’s how much he has grown.”

Last year, when her son turned 15, Hudson celebrated the occasion with a sweet Instagram post. 

In the photo, the mother-son duo shared bright smiles, with Hudson dressed in denim and her son towering next to her in a black crewneck. 

“Team Jhud, can yal help wish my kid @d.o.j10 a very happy blest 15th birthday!” she captioned the photo. “I can not believe that I got a 15 year old! God is good! Happy Birthday, my baby!!!!”

With season 4 of The Jennifer Hudson Show on the horizon, Hudson is clearly embracing both personal and professional growth, and encouraging her son to do the same.