Kelly Rowland on giving back, raising 2 boys and co-parenting: 'Turns out I'm the firm one. I don't like that.'

When it comes to holiday cheer, Kelly Rowland doesn't hang about — and we'd expect nothing less from the star and producer of Lifetime's Merry Liddle Christmas series and one-third of the vocals behind the legendary Destiny's Child album 8 Days of Christmas.

"The day after Halloween, literally, my Christmas tree was up," the singer and mom of two tells Yahoo Life in a new video interview. "I do not play Christmas games. I love to feel Christmas — at least for two months, sometimes two and a half months."

This holiday season Rowland's plans include making sure families are also feeling the love by partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in their mission to provide a "support system" for those with ill or injured children. Launched in 1974, the nonprofit organization runs more than 685 family-centered programs worldwide, including accessible health care outreach and housing for families who need to stay close to a child receiving medical treatment. It's a cause that has been close to Rowland's heart. She first visited Ronald McDonald House locations in the early ‘00s after appearing with Destiny's Child in a McDonald's campaign.

Video Transcript

KELLY ROWLAND: If I have a performance or I have somewhere I'm supposed to be or if we're at an airport and someone asked me for an autograph, Titan, he just watches, he doesn't ask any questions. But the first time he did ask, he was like, what do you and Auntie Mimi and Auntie Bebe doing on stage together? He has no idea who Destiny's Child is, he just knows that's Auntie Mimi and Auntie Bebe.

And so I said, well and I explained to him what happened. And I showed him all the videos and he thinks it's the coolest thing. He goes, I want to sing with my friends one day. I'm like, oh God.

I think that that's really important, that you know your parenting styles are on the same kind of playing field, because it can get really tricky. Come to find out, I am more, I wouldn't say strict, as much as I am firm. I would say, oh well he should be in bed by 7:00. He was like, 7:00? I don't think 8:30 is bad. I was like, well yeah, eventually you'll push it to 9:00. He's like, oh, it's no big deal. And I'm the, no we have to be in bed at 7:30.

Communicating, honestly, it's the name of the game. But you make time for the things that you want to make time for. And we make time for each other. I definitely say the space in between is so wild. I waited six years to have them. Noah's learning to walk, Titan is actually, on the other hand, learning to play chess. Granted, Titan is the best big brother, but the space in between, I'm like, oh my God, what was I thinking?

I think that having an opinion as a kid is really important. Our whole objective is to respect each other's words, so I have him say whatever he needs to say. I said, but you have to say it with respect. We're reading this book right now, "Feeling My Feelings," and he goes, Mom, can I give you an example of how this word made me feel?

It's just like this moment to talk to a little human and to hear their perspective and how they digest things, it's just mind blowing. And like, even with Noah, just wrestling with him in the bed and him looking at me, I'll never get those moments back. You kind of wish you could just save them and put them in a special box. Like, it's so beautiful.

Put it like this, the day after Halloween, literally, my Christmas tree was up. We make gingerbread houses and cookies and watch movies all the time. It's all about togetherness and that is what Ronald McDonald House Charities, it's all about family. They just really want to provide a safe space all around these families. Almost 20 years ago, with Destiny's Child, we did a whole campaign, commercial, the song. I mean, if you listen to "Cater 2 U," there's a second verse where we say, I'm loving it, I'm loving it.

[MUSIC - DESTINY'S CHILD - "CATER 2 U"]

(SINGING) I'm here to serve you. I'm loving it. If it's love you need, to give it--

The Ronald McDonald House Charities is all about making families feel and stay connected. And who doesn't want to feel that at Christmas time?