Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song use Home Alone to teach children safety and stranger awareness

Actors Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song are incorporating a creative approach to parenting by using Culkin’s iconic film Home Alone as a tool to teach their young children about safety and “stranger danger.”

According to People, Song recently shared that the couple’s two sons, Dakota, 4, and Carson, 3, have watched the holiday classic multiple times. While the children are entertained by the film’s comedic elements, including its elaborate pranks and traps, Song explained that she uses the story to reinforce important lessons about awareness and personal safety.

She noted that the boys enjoy the film’s playful aspects but do not fully grasp the underlying risks portrayed in the storyline. After watching the movie, Song said she uses the opportunity to remind them of their own safety, emphasizing that she is present and attentive as a parent.

Song also detailed her broader efforts to teach her children how to identify potential risks. She explained that she consistently reinforces the concept of “stranger danger,” encouraging her sons to recognize unfamiliar individuals. Her guidance includes teaching them that anyone whose name they do not know or who is not familiar within their home environment should be considered a stranger.

In addition to these lessons, Song focuses on situational awareness, such as helping her children understand their surroundings in public spaces. She shared that she often asks them how they entered a building and how they would exit, aiming to build early awareness of navigation and safety.

While Song described her approach as intentional, she acknowledged that Culkin sometimes views her methods as overly cautious. Nonetheless, she maintains that instilling a level of caution can be beneficial for young children.

The couple has also kept one notable detail from their sons: they have not explicitly told them that Culkin starred as Kevin McCallister in the film. Despite frequently watching Home Alone, the children have not fully connected the actor with his childhood role.

Culkin previously remarked that watching the film with his children offers him a new perspective, and he has chosen to preserve the illusion for as long as possible. However, their older son has begun to notice similarities, hinting that the connection may eventually become clear.

The parenting approach highlights how familiar media can be adapted into practical teaching tools.