Brenda Song, the accomplished actress and proud new mom, made headlines this weekend as she arrived at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills. During her visit on March 2, she opened up about some of her favorite family traditions. Along with her partner, Macaulay Culkin, Song documented her journey into parenthood. They got real on the highs—and lows—of parenting their two young sons, Dakota, 4 and Carson, 2.
In April 2021, Song welcomed the birth of her first son, Dakota. Then, in December 2022, she and her husband happily added their second son, Carson, to the mix. As a mother of two, Song expresses her commitment to being present in her children’s lives, acknowledging the fleeting nature of childhood. She stated, “No matter how much time you spend with your kids, it’ll never be enough.”
The couple’s engagement followed closely after Dakota’s birth, demonstrating their deep bond and commitment to family life. Song emphasizes the importance of spending quality time with loved ones, saying, “It’s just about spending time with your loved ones.”
As a way to honor their cultural heritage, Song and Culkin have made trips to different botanical gardens a personal family tradition. This ritual, beyond being a joy to their nuclear family, memorializes their origins. Song notes her mother’s intense obsession with growing flowers. She goes on to explain how her grandmother has taken up this lovely legacy of growing a botanical garden.
What we haven’t done is sort of shared it outside of our family. It’s really tiny dollar wise, but it’s really meaningful to us, Song shared about this special tradition. The visits to botanical gardens provide families a safer space to connect with nature while fostering meaningful experiences together.
As the boys get older, Song approaches every new chapter with fierce optimism. “I feel like every week it’s a new milestone,” she remarked, highlighting the rapid pace of childhood development. She makes shortcuts and exceptions in every area of life. This decision makes clear her commitment to being more present for Dakota and Carson.
