Macaulay Culkin is the example of a former child star who had so much personality at a young age, thanks in great part to the Home Alone movies (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription). But his childhood was hardly perfect due to the dysfunctional relationship his parents had with him. Now, Culkin and his partner, Brenda Song, are parents to two boys, and the American actor gets real about the one sweet thing he does for his kids that his parents “never” did for him.
When Macaulay Culkin appeared on Mythical Kitchen, he got candid about how he didn’t want the “sins” of his dad to pass on to his children. With his role as a father, the Richie Rich actor expressed wanting to break generational cycles. In fact, Culkin said he’s incorporated a special word into his kids' lives that his parents “never” said to him, and I feel like I want to cry:
There's a word that I use in my household, because it's something that I didn't really hear enough of when I was a kid. And that's 'proud.' Man, I'm proud of my kids. You know, I go out there and I'll be like, 'the number one movie in America' and yada, yada, yada,’ stuff like that. Never got the 'P' word.
That’s one of the saddest things to discover that a child was never told by their parents how proud they were of them. All kids want to feel like their parents are their biggest fans. But based on Culkin’s claims, it appeared the child star’s mom and dad saw a star compared to a child.
As Macaulay Culkin is now in his mid 40s, he’s been more honest about his troubled relationship with his dad. As Kit Culkin was the father and manager of one of the most bankable child stars, he was allegedly controlling and verbally abusive. The New York City native even said his Uncle Buck co-star John Candy was concerned about his father’s behavior.
On the podcast Sibling Revelry, the Saved! the actor conveyed how he wanted to be a better father to his kids than he had growing up. Based on the endearing story Culkin told to Mythical Kitchen about how he’s treated his son’s stage fright, I’d say he’s doing just that:
My kid, he does his recital, and the curtain opens, and he's really excited about it, he's gonna play a bug ... and as soon as the curtain opens, he freezes and he cries, and he runs off stage. And so I go scoop him up. And the first thing out of my mouth is, 'Man, I'm so proud of you. You were so brave to go out there like that. You did that? There were so many people. I love your costume. I’m proud of you, proud of you, proud of you. I’m proud of myself that I can provide for my family in that kind of way and that I can love my family the right kind of way.
I love that! Based on the reported abuse Macaulay Culkin endured from his dad at the height of his fame, it’s incredibly emotional that The Good Son actor showed he's better than his dad by always showing love to his kids, even when they have a bad experience. With unconditional love like that, Culkin really was born to be a great parent.
Macaulay Culkin’s kids, Dakota and Carson, certainly are lucky to say they’re the sons of the actor who graces fans every Christmas on their TV screen. While the cautious father wanted to wait until his sons were older to start watching Home Alone, their eventual first viewing of the Christmas classic was a hilarious experience. Apparently, Dakota and Carson called the movie “Kevin” and weren’t fully aware their dad played the kid who set booby traps for sneaky burglars. Hopefully, Culkin’s told them not to try any of this stuff at home.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient may have never been told by his parents as a kid how proud they were of him, but he’s proven to be a better example to his own kids by making sure to always remind them of his pride in them. Loving actions like these help break the toxic cycle and give them the encouragement he once deserved a long time ago.
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