Brenda Song on passing on cultural heritage to kids with Macaulay Culkin

Brenda Song has maintained the tight-knit family dynamic that she grew up in, even after welcoming kids with Macaulay Culkin.

The actress, whose parents are Thai and Hmong, grew up close to her siblings and parents. When she began dating Culkin, she told him he’d be dating her entire family, and now, she’s teaching her kids Hmong and keeping them rooted in their culture.

“My parents growing up would only speak to me and my brother in Hmong at home,” Song told People.

“I’m so incredibly grateful that my parents made such a point that we didn’t lose our language or culture. We are a very tight-knit family. With my parents being refugees, I think it makes you stay even closer,” she reflected.

The actress shares two sons, Dakota, 4, and Carson, 2, with Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin.

“Every single night, my kids say ‘Good night’ and ‘I love you’ in English and also Hmong,” she said. “It’s about helping them understand that this is a part of who they are. My parents, cousins and grandma are here all the time, so it’s nice for my kids to experience both sides of their heritage. I don’t want them to lose that because it's really easy, especially in LA.”

“I always like to joke that when I started dating my partner, I'm like, ‘Oh, honey, you're not just dating me. You're dating my entire family,” she said with a laugh.

“My mom literally has a room in our house. We also taught Mac how to speak some Hmong, and my grandma brought the boys and Mac traditional outfits, which is amazing,” Brenda Song revealed.