Nick Cannon shockingly blames Mariah Carey divorce for triggering ‘trauma’ that led to his 12 kids

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Nick Cannon says his split from Mariah Carey had a significant impact on his life, ultimately influencing his decision to have a large family – now totaling twelve children.

The host of The Masked Singer, age 44, shared that having a large family was connected to emotional pain he hadn’t dealt with and a failure to look inward after his divorce.

In a recent interview, Nick Cannon admitted he hadn’t prioritized his responsibilities. Looking back at his large family – now twelve children – he realized he could have made different choices. However, he maintains he doesn’t regret his decisions, emphasizing his love for all his children and his family as a whole.

During an appearance on The Breakfast Club on Tuesday, he shared that his past decisions stemmed from emotional pain following his 2016 breakup with Carey. He now recognizes this behavior as a result of not fully processing the split.

When asked if past trauma influenced how he parents, Cannon admitted he’s realizing that’s the case. He explained it wasn’t intentional misbehavior, but rather a lack of consideration. He felt he could easily have children with anyone he chose, simply because he had the resources and ability to do so.

Looking back, Cannon admitted he wasn’t ‘mature’ enough to plan more intentionally at the time. 

He explained that life unfolded naturally and having a large family wasn’t a pre-planned goal. Instead, he just wanted to enjoy life and was prepared to deal with whatever came his way.

Now in therapy, the actor says he’s taken time to reflect and work on himself.

Now that I’m approaching 45, I realize that if I’d spent more time understanding myself and working through my issues earlier in life, some things might have turned out differently.

Despite everything, he maintains he has no regrets about being a father. He explained, ‘Each of my children was born from a loving relationship, and those connections were strong.’

Cannon pointed to the end of his six-year marriage as a turning point.

He explained that in many situations, he used to believe he could solve problems himself, taking a long time to do so. However, he now realizes this approach just created more problems along the way instead of addressing the root cause.

The actor, who used to star on Nickelodeon, also shared that how he was raised shaped his beliefs about relationships, and he doesn’t naturally feel inclined towards being in one exclusive relationship.

I’ve always believed love isn’t one-size-fits-all, which is why traditional monogamy doesn’t appeal to me, and I think that’s a big factor in how I feel.

Cannon first became a father in 2011 when Carey gave birth to twins Moroccan and Monroe. 

He later welcomed three children with Brittany Bell: sons Golden and Rise, and daughter Powerful.

Cannon and Abby De La Rosa are parents to three children: twins Zion and Zillion, and their daughter, Beautiful Zeppelin.

Nick Cannon has two children: a son named Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi, and a daughter named Onyx Ice with LaNisha Cole.

Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott share two children: a daughter named Halo Marie and a son named Zen, who sadly passed away in December 2021 at five months old after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

He had previously made a joke about not wanting any more children, after admitting he had trouble remembering the names of all twelve of his kids during an appearance on The Really Good Podcast.

 He also quipped that his large family stemmed from what he called a ‘king complex.’

‘I really think I’m a king,’ Cannon explained. ‘Kings need a lot of children to pack their courts.’

 In November of last year, he joked that he was a ‘busy man on Thanksgiving.’

In a December 2022 interview on The Checkup with Dr. Agus, he shared that his greatest regret was not having enough time with his children.

‘One, ’cause I’m constantly working, and two, because I’m just spread thin,’ he confessed.

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2025-09-16 19:50