Ciara says being a single mom was 'the best thing' to happen to her: 'It made me stronger'

Becoming a parent has changed everything for Ciara. And being a single mom even more so. The artist, who was engaged to rapper Future and with whom she shares a child, was at the 2019 MAKERS conference on Thursday and said that it was “something I could never imagine. I never imagined that happening to me, being in that place.”

She went on to admit that going it alone (the former couple share custody but have disputed about child support and visitation) was life-changing — but in the “best way possible because I really grew up in that moment. I understood what I couldn’t have.”

Singer Ciara Princess Harris speaks during the 2019 Makers Conference in Dana Point, California, U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. The event gathers industry leading females for roundtable discussions to help inspire the women of tomorrow. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Singer Ciara Princess Harris speaks during the 2019 Makers Conference in Dana Point, California, U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. The event gathers industry leading females for roundtable discussions to help inspire the women of tomorrow. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

For her, that meant no romantic relationships. “There was no more playing around with the dating life,” she said. “It was like OK you’re going to do this right. There is no other option but doing it right. It was more than just me loving myself but also the power of me loving myself with the love of my son.”

Related: I’m a strong woman but I need a strong man by my side’: Ciara praises husband Russell Wilson

Then Ciara met football player Russell Wilson. “And by God’s grace I met my husband almost like 10 months after I declared that. But I also declared what I wanted to have. I was very clear and very specific. I wanted to make sure I was living life the right way. I wanted to make sure I was living life the fruitful way,” she said.

And while raising her son for that time by herself was hard, she admitted that “it was the best thing that could have happened to me because when you’re in the place of being a single mom, you’re like ‘Oh my gosh.’ Like there are so many thoughts like that in your mind. It was like the best thing that happened to me because it made me stronger.”

She added, “I’m grateful for the adversities in life. I really am. You learn that.”

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