Nick Cannon is a father to 12 children with six different women, but when Mother’s Day arrived this past weekend, none of those women were on his plans for the day. The 45-year-old entertainer revealed ahead of the holiday that he intended to spend the occasion the way he always has, with his own mother, keeping what he described as a longstanding personal tradition.
Cannon made clear that his thinking on the matter is straightforward. In his view, the holiday belongs to mothers, and in his life that means the woman who raised him. His mother has been a consistent and visible presence throughout his career, accompanying him to award shows and film premieres over the years and remaining a central figure in his personal life.
Nick Cannon still made sure his children’s mothers were celebrated
Spending the day with his own mother did not mean the other women in his extended family were left out. Cannon explained that part of his annual Mother’s Day tradition involves helping each of his children select and personalize a gift for their respective mothers. He described the process as a meaningful exercise for him and the kids, one that keeps the children actively involved rather than leaving the gesture entirely to him.
He was specific about the approach, noting that the gifts are intentionally different for each mother because the children involved are different. The personalization, he suggested, is what makes it matter.
Nick Cannon says Valentine’s Day is the harder holiday
Much of the public conversation around Cannon’s family life tends to focus on Mother’s Day as the most logistically complicated occasion on his calendar. Cannon pushed back on that assumption, saying the holiday is actually one of the more manageable ones for him. The days he finds genuinely difficult to navigate are Valentine’s Day and, perhaps more surprisingly, Father’s Day.
Valentine’s Day carries romantic expectations that make it more complicated to handle across multiple relationships. Father’s Day presents a different kind of challenge. With 12 children all wanting to celebrate with him at the same time, the day can become overwhelming simply by the weight of numbers.
Nick Cannon faces criticism over his parenting double standard
Separate from his Mother’s Day comments, Cannon found himself at the center of a parenting controversy in the weeks prior. He revealed publicly that he allows his 15-year-old son Moroccan to date but does not extend the same permission to his twin sister Monroe.
His reasoning centered on what he described as a protective instinct toward his daughter rooted in the belief that certain dangers require more active shielding. He suggested that his son would be less likely to reach out to him if something concerning happened on a date, while he felt more confident his daughter would. He described the thought of her being harmed as his greatest fear as a parent.
The comments drew swift and sharp criticism online. Many observers characterized the approach as a double standard, pointing out that applying different rules to a son and daughter of the same age based on gender reflects a broader pattern of unequal expectations. Cannon’s own widely publicized personal history was raised by critics as additional context, with some questioning his standing to offer parenting guidance on the subject.
Cannon acknowledged some flexibility in his position, suggesting he would consider allowing Monroe to date if accompanied by a family member and that conversations about independent dating were already part of their relationship as she approached college age. He stopped short of naming a specific age at which the restriction would be lifted.
