On May 19, 2014, Ciara became a mother for the first time when she welcomed Future Zahir Wilburn with her then-partner, Future. During a 2015 "Today" interview, the singer divulged that having her first child increased her confidence because she could cherish her womanhood even more. Later in the year, she released "I Got You," a soft track that detailed how she was willing to go to great lengths to keep her son safe. If that wasn't cute enough, the song also featured Future Zahir's adorable giggles. 

He later stole Russell Wilson's heart too. Speaking to "AM2DM by Buzzfeed News," in 2019, Wilson shared his heartfelt feelings about being a stepfather. "You really find out what love's like," he enthused. "It's interesting. It's easy to love somebody that's blood and everything else, but when you can love somebody just like it's your own child and everything else, that's what real love is like," (via X, formerly Twitter). As a Denver Broncos quarterback, football is another of Wilson's great loves, so it's only natural that he wanted to pass it down to his stepson. 

In 2022, Ciara informed People that Wilson was teaching Future Zahir to play the sport by sharing all his wisdom. The little boy has also absorbed his mother's musical talents. Per Ciara's Instagram post, he was a quick study at learning the piano and could properly play the instrument with just a week's worth of teaching. In a 2023 People interview, Ciara noted that Future Zahir had even begun to express his individuality by asking her to do his hair in specific fashions.