Nick Cannon has a different take on the way people describe raising kids outside of a traditional relationship and it starts with dropping the term “co-parenting” altogether.

The 43-year-old multi-hyphenate entertainer, who is a father to 12 children with six women, recently addressed the topic on his Nick Cannon @ Night podcast after a listener asked for his perspective on “managing multiple co-parenting relationships while dating.”

Cannon kept his response to the question, very simple. 

“I don’t believe in the term ‘co-parenting.’ I’d just rather call it parenting,” he explained. “When you start throwing labels on things, I think it does more harm than help and can get very dangerous. Because then everybody else has a preconceived notion of what you’re doing.”

He admitted he’s still figuring it out. “I haven’t gotten it all the way right,” he said. “But also to your point, if I just step into every situation with respect and compassion, and individuality — that’s the other thing I always do with anyone I’m involved with in my life.”

For Cannon, the key is treating each relationship on its own terms rather than lumping everyone together. “I don’t bunch them together,” he shared. “I really try my hardest not to be like, ‘Oh yeah, my baby mamas.’”

He joked that the only time he might use that phrase is when telling a joke, but in real life, his approach is more intentional. “No one wants to be grouped into anything,” he said. “Everyone wants to be treated like an individual with respect and compassion.”

Cannon’s family is large and diverse. Since 2011, he’s welcomed:
• Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey
• Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen, and Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell
• Zion Mixolydian, Zillion Heir, and Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa
• Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi
• Zen (who sadly passed away in 2021) and Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott
• Onyx Ice Cole with LaNisha Cole

Despite the unconventional setup, Cannon says his focus is on creating healthy, respectful dynamics. As he put it, it’s all about showing “respect and compassion,” one relationship at a time.

Photo Credit: Nick Cannon Instagram