Nick Cannon is opening up about the different rules he has for his teenage twins when it comes to dating – and he's not pretending it's fair.
The father of 12 revealed he allows his 15-year-old son Moroccan to date, but takes a far stricter approach with daughter Monroe.
© Getty"My son has been dating, and I've allowed it – I've encouraged it," the America's Got Talent and The Masked Singer host said during an appearance on The TMZ Podcast on May 2.
But when asked if the same applies to Monroe, Nick didn't hesitate: "No, absolutely not."
"First of all, it's absolutely a double standard," he continued. "And I know I get in trouble a lot because I say things with my chest – but there is a difference when parenting a son and parenting a daughter."
© InstagramThe comedian explained that his stance comes from a place of protectiveness, adding that he feels a stronger responsibility to shield his daughter from potential harm.
"I am more protective of my daughter because there are things out there that I have to protect her from," he said.
Nick – who shares Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey – also spoke candidly about his fears as a father.
© Instagram"If somebody puts their hands on my daughter, I'm going to jail," he said. "If some man puts his hands on my daughter, it's my worst nightmare."
The TV star has previously faced criticism for his unconventional family dynamic. In a 2025 interview on The Breakfast Club, he described his approach to fatherhood as partly shaped by the emotional fallout from his split with Mariah.
Despite the backlash, Nick has remained open about his parenting style – even when it sparks debate.
© Getty ImagesHis daughter Monroe recently shared a rare insight into her relationship with her father's younger children, whom he shares with six different women. She took to Instagram to clarify that she only has one full sibling, her fraternal twin brother, Moroccan. "Clearing something up guys! I only have ONE brother who is @moroccan.cannon. I do have other half-siblings from my dad but they are all many, many years younger than me!"
In July 2025, Nick opened up about his blended family in an interview with Vulture. He shared that his 12 children were a "by-product of his eagerness to appease the women he was dating or his single friends who wanted kids."
Nick also addressed fathering five of his children in a single year – 2022. "It was also a little bit of, like, Okay, God, how did I have five kids in one year? Probably careless activity," he admitted.
