Brenda Song Shares Home Alone Inspired Safety Lesson for Her and Macaulay Culkin's Kids

The actress used the classic movie to teach her sons about "stranger danger"

Feb. 26, 2026 at 1:20am

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Brenda Song recently showed her and fiancé Macaulay Culkin's two young sons the 1990 movie Home Alone for the first time. She used the viewing as an opportunity to warn the kids about the dangers of strangers, telling them "If you don't know their name, or you've never seen them before at our house, they are a stranger." Song has been intentional about building her children's safety skills, even quizzing them on how to get home from places they visit.

Why it matters

As a high-profile celebrity couple, Song and Culkin are using their platform to promote important safety lessons for kids. Their approach highlights the value of using pop culture touchstones to have meaningful conversations with children about personal safety and awareness of potential threats.

The details

Song told E! News' The Rundown that while her sons "love all the hijinks and the traps" in Home Alone, she used the movie's storyline to reinforce the concept of "stranger danger." She said she told her kids, "'See, your mama's here right next to you. Don't you want to give me a hug? I didn't leave.' I'm so terrible, but I feel like your children have to be a little scared. Fear goes a long way." Song also quizzes her kids on safety skills like identifying exit signs and how to get home from places they visit.

  • Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin recently showed their sons Home Alone for the first time.

The players

Brenda Song

An American actress best known for her roles in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck. She is engaged to actor Macaulay Culkin and they have two young sons together.

Macaulay Culkin

An American actor who rose to fame as a child star, most notably for his role as Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone film series. He is engaged to actress Brenda Song and they have two sons together.

Dakota

The 4-year-old son of Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin.

Carson

The 3-year-old son of Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin.

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What they’re saying

“They love all the hijinks and the traps and stuff. They have no real concept [of the danger]. My oldest gets it more than my younger son.”

— Brenda Song, Actress (E! News)

“I remember at the end going, 'See, your mama's here right next to you. Don't you want to give me a hug? I didn't leave.' I'm so terrible, but I feel like your children have to be a little scared. Fear goes a long way.”

— Brenda Song, Actress (E! News)

“I said, 'They're a stranger if you don't know their name.' I was like, 'It doesn't matter if they're someone's parents. If you don't know their name, or you've never seen them before at our house, they are a stranger.'”

— Brenda Song, Actress (E! News)

“Everywhere we go, I'm like, 'How do we get home?' Every building we go in, like, 'How did we get here? How do we get out?' I was teaching them exit signs.”

— Brenda Song, Actress (E! News)

“My partner thinks I'm absolutely crazy about it.”

— Brenda Song, Actress (E! News)

What’s next

Brenda Song's new movie Operation Taco Gary's is set to premiere in theaters on February 27, 2026.

The takeaway

Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin are using their platform as celebrity parents to promote important safety lessons for their children, highlighting the value of using pop culture touchstones to have meaningful conversations with kids about personal awareness and potential threats.