Nick Cannon is a multitalented man who has tried his hand at many ventures, but at the end of the day, his first priority is to be a father. It’s been a good few years since Nick Cannon first became a father to twins Moroccan and Monroe (whom he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey), but it is a role he feels he was born for. Cannon loves being a father, so much so that he told ABC News fatherhood is "what I was put on this Earth to do." And perhaps that’s the reason he was never anxious about becoming a dad, and why he is not done having children yet.
Cannon became a dad for the third time in 2017 when his son Golden was born. And although he may never want to get married again (seriously, he's adamant it’s not for him), he does feel happy to expand his brood, and ideally there will be a lot more baby Cannon’s running around in the future — at least enough to make a boy band, because he has his hopes set on five. This is the man who describes himself as a “big kid,” who has nothing but endless love in his heart for his children, and whose kids are his definition of happiness. Below are 20 things to know about Nick Cannon and his home life.
20 Nick Cannon Thinks His Children Are The Definition Of Happiness
Nick Cannon is one of those celebrity dads that is completely dedicated to his children, so much so, that it makes us swoon. This photo shows just how happy he is when he is with his three children, and he has called them his “definition of happiness,” adding, “Find you [yourself] a REAL Squad that won’t let you down!”
He has also credited his children for helping him to stay grounded, telling Splash, “My number one priority is to be the best father I can possibly be. Everything else falls in line after that. As long as I’m authentic, that’s what [matters].”
19 He Had A Beautiful Relationship With His Parents And Wants The Same For His Kids
Nick Cannon’s own parents set a good example to him for how parents should treat their children, and his incredible bond with them has been a driving force behind the way he parents his own children. He would like to be able to share the same relationship with his offspring that he has with his parents, and expressed this in an interview (via Digital Spy), saying, "My parents were actually kids when they had me. My parents were still in high school and teenagers — and we have a beautiful relationship. I'll probably be that same way."
18 He May Love Fatherhood, But Discipline Is The Toughest Part
RELATED: Nick could be using the best strollers of 2019 instead of carrying his kids.
We know that Nick Cannon likes to be fun and silly with his children, but there’s a time to play, and there’s a time to discipline. “I'm a very strict dad. I'm a strict-fun dad, but my dad was a strict-fun dad,” he told Yahoo.
No one enjoys discipline their children, but it is a necessary part of being a parent, and Nick Cannon understands this. USA Today notes that he has even shared a post about it on social media, writing, “Discipline is never easy – especially since these two are so well behaved – but it's necessary and that has been a huge lesson in fatherhood for me.”
17 It’s His Only Daughter, Monroe, Whom He Has Praised For Being ‘Super Tough’
Nick Cannon is a father to three children; his twins, Moroccan, and Monroe (whom he shares with ex-wife, Mariah Carey), and more recently, a son named Golden (with his ex-girlfriend, Brittany Bell). Monroe is his only daughter, and he admires just how resilient and daring she is.
Speaking on a segment called Dad Fails (via People), he stated, “My son [Monroe’s twin brother Moroccan] is tough, but my daughter’s super tough.” He then recalled a moment where her daring nature caused her to climb to the top of the jungle gym, and then fall off, only to “bounce back up.”
16 He Believes That Fatherhood Is His Reason For Being Alive
Not everyone dreams of being a parent. Some people would prefer to go through life without the responsibility, for others it happens by chance, and then there are those, like Nick Cannon, who feel they were born to be parents.
Cannon loves being a father, so much so that he told ABC News, fatherhood is "what I was put on this Earth to do." He continued, "We're here to be fruitful and multiply. That's what our beings are made for, so we can raise our offspring up so they can have offspring, and [have] generations after generations." It’s one thing being able to procreate, but quite something else to be there as a provider and carer, and luckily, Cannon falls into the latter category.
15 He Co-Parents Like A Pro With Ex-Wife Mariah Carey — And Still Has So Much Respect For Her
A breakup is never easy, but a breakup when there are kids involved is on a completely different level. Learning to put your differences aside for the wellbeing of your kids is something that many parents try to do, and Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are total goals when it comes to co-parenting.
They are one of the finest examples of co-parenting done right, although Cannon prefers not to use that term, telling People the phrase is redundant. “You can't co-parent, you have to parent, and that's what we do well because when it comes to our children, we're selfless individuals — they're first,” he said. He also added that he and Carey try to show their kids that they “love each other unconditionally,” despite not being in a relationship.
14 Nick Cannon Never Wants To Get Married Again (But He Does Want More Kids)
Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey got married in 2008, and before their split in 2014, they became parents to twins (in 2011). They are still in each other’s lives, with Cannon telling the Stern Show, "I love Mariah. I'll never stop loving her. She gave me two amazing, beautiful gifts. We talk every day."
But despite the respect and love he has for his ex-wife, Cannon does not intend to get married again. "I'm never getting married again," he said. "Marriage is not for me." But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t mean he doesn’t want more kids.
13 Nick Cannon Reads Bedtime Stories To His Kids (Which Promotes A Love Of Learning)
When Nick Cannon learned that he would be having a child with his former girlfriend Brittany Bell, he could not have been happier. “It's outstanding. Honestly, they say even in unexpected situations, you still embrace the beauty of bringing a life into this world, because that is what life is all about,” he said, according to Daily Mail.
The arrival of his son, Golden, meant that Cannon was now a dad to three children, and it’s incredibly sweet that they all get on (just look at their adorable faces in this picture). And speaking of this picture, Cannon captioned it with a mention of how they were enjoying “Bedtime Story Time.” Jax Mom Blog notes that reading aloud to children is important as it can promote a love of learning.
12 He Has Three Kids Now, But Would Really Like Five (And He May Not Stop There)
Nick Cannon is a proud father to three children, Moroccan, Monroe, and Golden, all of whom have brought him great joy. But he would be incredibly happy if he could expand his brood, and he would really like to have five kids (basically enough to form his very own band).
"I'm happy to have children. I always wanted five children, now I've got three," he said on the Stern Show. He also wants the best for his children, and has told People he wants to set a “fine example” for them, and “they’ll grow up to be good human beings, hopefully.”
11 Nick Cannon Is Open To Adoption Because He Loves Being A Dad
You don’t have to be the biological mother or father of a child to be a parent, and Nick Cannon understands this. In expressing his love for fatherhood, and his willingness to add to his brood, he discussed adoption in an interview with ABC News.
"I'm not against it [having more children]. I talk about that all the time. I love children,” he said. "Everybody knows that. Whether it's having more of my own, or adopting, whatever, I love that process. Kids kind of bring that vibrant side [out] of me so whenever I can be a part of that process I'm with it."
10 His Twins Have Embraced Being Older Siblings To His Son, Golden (With Former Girlfriend Brittany Bell)
There can be jealousy among siblings (Kim Kardashian West has spoken about her firstborn North’s jealousy towards her son, Saint), but Nick Cannon got really lucky because his twins love their new sibling, Golden.
“They love him... Any chance they get an opportunity to play with him, they’re all over him,” he said of Moroccan and Monroe spending time with Golden, who he shares with Brittany Bell. “The holidays were fun watching him crawl and try to take his first steps and watching his siblings try to help him walk around. It was a lot of fun.”
9 He Feels It’s Important To Go To Aspen With His Kids (Keeping Up An Old Tradition)
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon don’t just get on, they even spend holidays together for the sake of their kids, and they have a bit of a tradition when it comes to Aspen, Colorado. E! News notes that before the couple split, they would spend Christmas at a place with ski-in, ski-out access to the Aspen Highlands Mountain. And the publication notes that Cannon does "still makes the trip to spend time as a family with their twins," and it’s great to see that they have managed to keep this tradition alive.
MSN also notes that the former couple also spends time together as a family for birthdays every year.
8 When He Became A Dad, He Started To Wear Another Hat — What That Means Is, His Priorities Changed
When Nick Cannon says he started to wear another hat, he is not referring to his style choices, but rather to how his life has changed since becoming a father. "[Fatherhood] is when I put on a different hat," he told MTV News of how his life has changed, adding, "That family element obviously is a priority when it comes to life in general,"
We know he loves fatherhood, and it’s a topic he is more than willing to speak about in interviews, but we also that since becoming a dad, he has had to juggle a lot of aspects of his life. The publication notes that the “hats” Cannon has also include host, actor, musician, and more recently, parent.
7 He’s A Hands-On Dad, But Diapers Are Not As Easy As They Look
Diaper duty may be one of the least fun experiences of being a parent (although it’s amazing how immune you become to smells, and what used to make your stomach turn is now a normal part of life). Nick Cannon learned how to be a dad when his twins were born in 2011, and told omg! (via Yahoo), "Being a new dad is amazing, remarkable and phenomenal."
He is also the type of parent who likes to be hands-on, and you better believe he was involved in diaper duty, although he admitted, "It's not as easy as it looks.”
6 He’s The Type Of Dad Who Doesn’t Mind Being Silly And Dressing Up
Nick Cannon takes dressing up seriously, and he and Mariah Carey, despite their split, have joined forces to dress up and celebrate Halloween with their kids. Being able to have fun with your children is important, and Nick Cannon is the type of father that is willing to be silly if it puts a smile on his children’s faces.
He has also found that being silly comes easy to him, because he is a kid at heart, and mind, too — or so he says. In an interview with Yahoo, he also explained that he likes to have fun with his kids. “When I'm playing with my kids or hanging with friends, I'm probably the silliest one in the room…” he said.
5 It’s Important For Nick Cannon And His Children To Give Back To The Community
Nick Cannon has a big heart, and it’s important for him to be involved in projects that help others. “Feeding America and fighting hunger is a cause close to my heart,” he said of the organization. “As a child, my family and I visited food pantries from time to time. I’ll never forget those days and the people and organizations that helped us get through rough patches.”
He cares about those in need, and he wants his children to share his views. He included them in a Feeding America Food Bank and Community Kitchen in Harlem, and he was proud to show the photos from the day.
4 Family Time Is Really Important For This Bunch, And Disney Is A Favorite Spot
“I always want what’s best for my children,” Nick Cannon has told Us Weekly, and these are not just words he says in interviews because his actions over the years have shown just how much he cares about his family.
In addition to putting his differences with ex-wife Mariah Carey aside, and remaining amicable with ex-girlfriend, Brittany Bell, Cannon is also dedicated to spending time with his kids. Whether that’s flying kites, which he describes as “the best,” noting how it’s “the most simple [and] it costs no money,” or spending a fun-filled day at Disney. This is a dad you can rely on.
3 No Matter What Happens In His Relationships, Nick Puts His Kids First
“I love being a father,” Nick Cannon told Us Weekly. “A father is the greatest blessing and greatest responsibility that can ever be bestowed on you.” And because he loves being a dad, he has managed to remain amicable with both the mothers of his children, despite not being in a relationship with either now.
He has spoken about how he does this, telling People it's because he puts his kids first that he is able to co-parent. He has also mentioned that when it comes to his ex-wife, “There’s no hard feelings and ill will,” adding, “Ultimately, it’s about putting the kids first and making sure they have the best childhood they could possibly have.”
2 His Children Have Nicknames, But He Has Always Introduced Himself By His Full Name
When speaking about his twins, Nick Cannon often refers to them as Roc and Roe (short for Moroccan and Monroe). His children may have these sweet nicknames, but when it comes to Nick Cannon’s name, he doesn’t like it to be shortened, and he doesn’t go by something else entirely.
“I remember even as a kid I introduced myself as Nick Cannon,” he told ABC News. “Even when I was 4 or 5, like, that’s who I am and I almost felt like everyone should know that. And if you didn’t know who Nick Cannon was, who were you?”
1 Nick Cannon Wasn’t Worried About Becoming A Dad Because He’s A Kid At Heart
Before becoming a father, Nick Cannon was asked to describe his thoughts on fatherhood, and he did in an interview with The News (via New York Daily News). "I'm not nervous to be a dad. I haven't really thought about it like that yet,” he explained. “When the time happens, maybe I will be, but I'll always be a kid at heart. I feel like I was the same dude 10 years ago that I am today."
This is not the only time that he has mentioned he is a “big kid,” and said the same in an interview with ABC News when discussing fatherhood.
Sources: Splash, Digital Spy, People, ABC News, Howard Stern, Daily Mail, E! News, MSN, MTV News, Yahoo, Feeding America, Us Weekly, Jax Mom Blog, Us Weekly, USA Today, ABC News, New York Daily News.