Los Angeles, Jun 22 (IANS): Actor Brad Pitt says his family makes him "the richest man alive".

The 49-year-old has six children, Maddox, 11, Pax, nine, Zahara, eight, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with his actress-girlfriend Angelina Jolie. He says being a father has changed everything about his life and enriched it in so many ways.

"You learn to value the basic beauty of family, of watching your children grow and evolve. Being a father has changed me on so many levels and made me more generous and alive," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Pitt as saying.

"I see my children as a basic part of my life and it means so much to me to educate them and help them make their way in the world. I love being a father and all the responsibilities it entails. I feel like the richest man alive since I've become a father," he added.

Pitt also praised his own parents, Jane and William, for their influence on his life and the way they raised him.

"My attitude is pretty much shaped by the way my own parents raised me and my brother and sister. I feel that I was able to grow up with a good perspective and a good common-sense understanding of the world," he said.

The actor also said his forthcoming film "World War Z" provides the message of protecting your family, despite all the killer zombies.

"It's saying that you have to do what it takes to protect your family. It's saying that you have to be prepared to take up a challenge at such a fundamental level of survival," he said.