Ciara remembers when she knew it was time to move on from her relationship with Future.
The "Goodies" singer, who shares son Future Zahir Wilburn, 9, with the rapper, recalled how her mindset changed in the wake of their 2014 breakup.
"When you have a child, it's very important to me, like now it's no time to play around," Ciara explained on the Oct. 4 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast. "The whole like, experimentation kind of phase is out the door. I am now responsible for another life. So what am I doing? How am I thinking that through? We get tired and we don't want to be tired all the time. I'm like, I want joy. I want to make sure my cup is full."
The Grammy winner noted it's a mindset she uses in all aspects of her life.
"I don't care if it's a relationship or friendship, business, whatever it is," she continued, "Don't let it waste your time. It's just not worth it. Those are things that come to my mind, how I process when there's a pivotal moment in my life, and in any aspect of my life."
Following her split with the "Mask off" artist, Ciara started dating NFL star Russell Wilson, whom she wed in 2016.
Looking back to when she and Denver Broncos quarterback met for the first time at her house, the "1, 2 Step" singer reflected on prioritizing their privacy. "It was the best thing for the both of us, we felt," she said, "because even though we were meeting as friends and all that stuff, my son was there and my dad was there."
Ciara and Russell hit it off instantly. "We were like, talking and talking and talking and it was crazy—everything that we talked about, like, we were aligned on," she said. "I knew that I'd never felt what I felt in that moment."
In fact, Russell showcased his parenting skills, holding then-baby Future and taking quick action to keep him safe. "There's this chair in my kitchen and the chair was about to fall over and Future is literally, my son is right there," she revealed. "He slides over, catches the chair and I'm like [sighs], 'Okay. Okay. Superman. We've got a Superman.'"
And Russell continued to prove himself once their relationship turned romantic as he "jumped right in" to dad duty. These days, the couple of eight years are also parents to daughter Sienna Princess, 6, son Win Harrison, 3, and Ciara is currently pregnant with their third baby.
"He's an amazing father," she said. "Watching him with all of our kids, it is one of the sweetest things. It's one of the sexiest things, to be honest with you. I'm just saying, ladies, when a man jumps in and changes the diaper, and he's pulling up to teacher-parent conferences, it's like, 'Ooh!'"
As she put it, "There's something about a man turning on that part of them, like, they're being a man for you but they're also being a man for your family. There's no better feeling than knowing that."
Look back at Ciara and Russell's cutest family moments over the years:
Family Moments
Ciara and Russell Wilson celebrated Easter 2025 with kids Future, Sienna, Win and Amora in pastel pinks and blues.
Feeling Thankful
The family of five celebrated cuddled up on the couch together during Thanksgiving 2024.
Say Cheese
Ciara rang in her 39th birthday with family in October 2024.
Ballers
When Russell was playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Ciara and the kids dressed up in black and gold to cheer for the quarterback.
Practice Makes Perfect
The NFL star got some special visitors during training camp in September 2024.
The Princess Is Here
Ciara gave her daughters a ride in this adorable snapshot. As she wrote on Instagram in August 2024, "The moments that filled my cup."
Bonjour
The "Goodies" singer and her kids visited Disneyland Paris for the first time in July 2024.
Forever Valentine
Ciara joked that baby Amora crashed her romantic date with Russell, writing on Instagram in 2024, "9 Valentines in…and sometimes it may look like this."
Fab Five
Ciara and Russell enjoyed a sunny family day in May 2023.
An Easter to Remember
The clan spent Easter 2022 at the White House.
Cat-Tastic Time
Ciara and her daughter Sienna celebrated the return of DreamWorks' Gabby's Dollhouse with a mommy-and-me viewing party in 2021.
Paradise Awaits
We all scream for Popsicles! Weeks before their wedding day in July 2016, Ciara and Russell traveled with Future to Mexico for a Memorial Day vacation.
She Said Yes
The start of a whole new chapter. Who can forget the magical moment when Russell proposed to his leading lady in March 2016?
Hooray for Elmo
"Grateful For This Love. #MyBoys," Ciara wrote on Instagram after enjoying Sesame Street Live in Los Angeles on Mother's Day.
Magical Memories
The Happiest Place on Earth turned out to be a magical place for Russell, Ciara and Future.
Grandpa's Know Best
"Daddy and Grandpa All In One," Ciara shared on social media as her son spent quality time with her dad.
Go Big Blue
Football is cool, but so is going to Dodgers Stadium when nobody is around.
Red Carpet Studs
When Russell hosted the 2015 Kids' Choice Sports Awards, Ciara and her son Future were more than happy to attend and show their support.