Matthew McConaughey says fatherhood has been his biggest adventure so far.
Matthew McConaughey
The 50-year-old actor has children Levi, Livingston and Vida with his wife Camila Alves, 38, and says becoming a dad is the best thing he ever did.
Speaking to Australia's Who magazine, he said: "It’s the only thing I ever knew I wanted to be. It’s a new adventure every single day because the kids are seeing everything for the very first time. It’s a constant balance of how much to teach them and how much you let them go experience it, to learn it and understand it.
"While they’re all our children, they’re very different and unique. They handle the same situation in different ways because that’s who they are. I’m trying to make sure I put in front of them more things they love to do and remove things that might harm them, but not everything. I want to make sure they still get their bumps and bruises."
And Matthew has been trying to ensure his children are raised with good values, despite his fame.
He added: "We’re pretty clear on the values that we have in our family and I got that from my mum and dad. And also what it is that you value.
"For instance, a kid goes to one of my sons, “I bet you live in a big house because your dad is famous.” Well, we do live in a nice house but we made sure my son understands I’m famous – and that fame has helped buy this house – because I’ve worked hard to be good at what I do.
"Here’s a great example, I won the Academy Award for Best Actor for 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club and my kids ask, “What did you get that trophy for?”
"And I go, “Remember a year and a half ago when I was working every day and you’d wake up and I’d already be at work? You said I looked like a giraffe [McConaughey lost over 20kg for the role]. Well, after going to work early and working hard every day, a year and a half later my peers deemed that excellent work and gave me a trophy for it.
"That helped them learn about delayed gratification. You can do something today that can reward yourself tomorrow – in relationships, in your work and in what you value with yourself."
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