Matthew McConaughey on Letting Son Levi, 15, Join Social Media: 'He's Mature Enough to Tell His Own Story'
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The Oscar winner and dad of three is releasing his first children's book, 'Just Because', on Sept. 12
The decision to let Levi McConaughey join social media was not one his mom and dad took lightly.
In fact, before Matthew and Camila Alves McConaughey gave their blessing, they made sure Levi, who joined Instagram in July around his 15th birthday, knew what he was in for.
"We thought he was ready," the actor, 53, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.
"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."
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As for forging his own path in the vast and unpredictable space that is social media, McConaughey has high hopes, and a lot of faith in his son. "He's a very considerate and cool young man," the proud dad says. "I hope that the world out there can reciprocate and treat him the same as he treats them."
McConaughey made sure to touch base with Levi, and the couple’s other kids, Vida, 13, and Livingston, 10, while writing his debut children’s book Just Because, out Sept. 12.
A spirited collection of life lessons and conundrums untangled in rhythmic couplets, the picture book sparked "a lot of good conversations" with the kids, Camila, and even his ever-discerning mother Kay, he says.
"My mom’s 91 and she said, 'That’s not just for kids. You even reminded me of some things in there.'"
The Oscar winner, whose 2020 memoir Greenlights became a bestseller, says he hadn’t consciously set out to write a childen’s book.
"Just being a dad, I mean, you’re thinking about your kids all the time [and] I think that afternoon, I’d been having conversations with my children about certain new things that they were crossing for the first time or, 'Well, this happened and I’m not sure how to feel about it. And I wanted to do this, but I felt I needed to do this, and I was confused'," he says.
"Evidently it was in my subconscious… Once I knocked all the couplets down in the rhythm, it sort of wrote itself."
As for Levi’s venture into social media, it appears so far, so good.
In addition to sharing memorable moments and his adventurous spirit in his posts, Levi also wrote about a meaningful community service experience last month.
Related: Levi McConaughey Reflects on His 'Really Cool' Community Service Experience Cooking Meals in Paris
Posting a series of photos that honored his time working at Refettorio Paris, a restaurant that serves meals to the homeless, Levi wrote in the caption, "A few trips back I got the chance to cook at @refettorioparis for some people that don't normally get to have a really nice meal… Refettorio Paris serves first class meals to the homeless. They made a great restaurant with high-end chefs to cook — using produce that was going to be thrown away."
For more from McConaughey, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on stands Friday.
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