Matthew McConaughey has opened up about his opinions on social media, sharing that he has banned his kids from using any social media until they're 15-years-old.
Social media is a hot topic in the world of parenting, especially when it comes to parenting teens. From worries around cyberbullying to sharing clever Internet safety tips and a parental guide to helping your kids stay safe online, every parent has their opinion, tips or tricks when it comes to speaking about social media with their kids.
Matthew McConaughey is no different. While the actor recently shared why he wants his kids to keep ‘secrets’ from him, when it comes to social media his parenting style is a little less laid-back.
The 53-year-old actor, who shares three children, Levi, 15, Vida, 13, Livingston, ten, with wife Camila Alves, revealed he has 'banned' his kids from using social media until they are 15 as he wants them to be 'living' their lives, not 'scrolling' constantly.
Speaking about his oldest son's desperation to be on social media on Today with Hoda and Jenna, Matthew said, "Oh he wanted it early on, probably when he was 12, definitely 13. Definitely 14. And we waited till he was 15.
"We tried to look at the up falls and the downfalls. It's not like sending your kid off to college, but it is like sending your kids off with a bunch of strangers into the world.
"[We spent] two years trying to really define what social media is to him. Let's talk about what it is. Let's talk about the up falls. Let's talk about the downfalls. Let's talk about the assets. Let's talk about the traps. Let's talk about what you wanna tell.
"Because what happens a lot of times with young people and social media is they wake up in the morning and the first thing on their mind is, 'What will be a good post?' instead of, 'What do I want to do today?'"
He added, "The world's telling you and strangers are telling you who you are and if you should feel confident about yourself."
He's likely wishing he'd upped that age limit as Levi turned 15 this year and speedily joined Instagram.
Speaking about his son's new account, Matthew told PEOPLE Magazine, "We thought he was ready. After two to three years of talking about the pitfalls and the upfalls and the downfalls, and him shadowing me on my IGs and his mother on hers and picking out people that he looked up to and talking to them about it, we felt he’s got enough information and is mature enough to tell his own story.
"He's a very considerate and cool young man," he added. "I hope that the world out there can reciprocate and treat him the same as he treats them."
The new venture seems to be going well for Levi who is using his platform to share memorable moments and fun adventures with his 289K followers. The youngster is even using his account to promote his dad's work, sharing a sweet post upon the release of his new book 'Just Because.'
Alongside a photo of him reading the book, Levi wrote, "It has been so cool to watch my dad these past few years. Working on new projects and watching them succeed. He’s been writing and creating and to see his first book #GreenlightsBook was awesome! Now he’s on to his second book, #JustBecauseBook and I'm really excited about it. Can’t wait to see what he does next…"
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