MATT DAMON SAYS HE AND BEN AFFLECK ARE ADJUSTING TO A NEW STAGE AS THEIR CHILDREN GROW OLDER AND LEAVE HOME. (PHOTO).

Matt Damon says he and Ben Affleck are adjusting to a new stage as their children grow older and leave home

Matt Damon says he and longtime friend Ben Affleck are entering a different stage of parenthood as their children grow older.

In an interview with PEOPLE, the 55-year-old actor said he and Affleck, 53, are experiencing similar moments in their lives because many of their children are now becoming adults.

“We’re at very similar stages with the kids, and it’s definitely a new phase of life,” Damon said.

Damon, who shares daughters Alexia, 27, Isabella, 20, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15, with his wife Luciana, said he and Affleck often reflect on how quickly their children have grown.

“It doesn’t take much to get us emotional at this point,” he said.

Affleck, who shares three children, Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13, with former wife Jennifer Garner, has also been navigating the transition as his children become older.

Damon said he is preparing for the possibility of having all four of his daughters eventually leave home, describing the moment as something he and his family are trying to embrace.

“I feel like we are facing it and embracing the fact that it’s happening,” he said.

The actor explained that his family has been focusing on being more present together, especially as time with children at home becomes limited.

“We’ve been talking a lot about presence and about really trying to be in the moment,” Damon said.

One way the family has tried to maintain that connection is through a long-standing tradition of having dinner together every night.

“We have family dinner every night, and that’s non-negotiable, and it’s always been that way,” he said.

However, Damon admitted that even established routines can sometimes lose their purpose when work and technology become distractions.

He recalled one of his daughters pointing out that a recent family dinner had passed without much conversation because everyone was focused on other things.

“One of my daughters said, ‘Well, family dinner, last night we didn’t talk,’” he said.

Damon said the comment made him and his wife realise they needed to pay more attention to the reason behind the tradition.

The actor also spoke about his daughters supporting his latest film project, *The Odyssey*, where he plays the lead character Odysseus. During the film’s London premiere, Damon said he was looking forward to his children seeing the work he put into the role.

“It’s great because they had to sacrifice a lot too for this,” he said, explaining that the production required him to spend extended periods away from home.

Damon added that he was excited to share the finished film with his daughters after they had been part of the process from a distance.