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"Nicole Richie and Joel Madden made somewhat of a pact before tying the knot. Richie revealed during the Sunday, July 27 episode of Oprah Winfrey&amp;apos;s Where Are They Now? that the hardest and easiest parts about being married to the Good Charlotte rocker are one and the same.\r\n\r\n&amp;quot;We met and we were partners from day one. And from the second we found out we were going to be parents together, we looked at each other and we said, &amp;apos;Okay, both of our parents are divorced. We both have had ups and downs with our parents and we don&amp;apos;t really have a strong example of what a healthy family life is,&amp;quot; the 32-year-old told Winfrey during the interview.\r\n\r\n&amp;quot;But, we&amp;apos;re recognizing that now, so let&amp;apos;s work at it and let&amp;apos;s go through this together as a team,&amp;apos;&amp;quot; she continued. &amp;quot;It&amp;apos;s been great.&amp;quot;\r\nRichie and Madden, 35, began dating in 2006, but only after Lionel Richie&amp;apos;s daughter finally gave in to the singer&amp;apos;s advances. &amp;quot;When I first would see her around, we were friends,&amp;quot; Madden told Australia&amp;apos;s 60 Minutes last April. &amp;quot;But I don&amp;apos;t think I&amp;apos;m the obvious choice. I&amp;apos;m always like, &amp;apos;Just give me a shot. Just give me one date.&amp;apos; If I can get my foot in the door...&amp;quot;\r\n\r\nMadden indeed got his foot in the door, and the couple married four years later in December 2010. They&amp;apos;ve since welcomed daughter Harlow, 6, and son Sparrow, 4, into the family.\r\n&amp;quot;I have to always come from a place of love and compassion with them. My kids operate best when I let them have a voice,&amp;quot; Richie said on Where Are They Now?. &amp;quot;And I really explain things to them, because really, kids want to be told the truth. They just do. They just want you to be truthful.&amp;quot;\r\n\r\nWhen asked what kind of mother she is, she replied that there&amp;apos;s always room for improvement. &amp;quot;I do know I do the best that I can,&amp;quot; she admitted. &amp;quot;I&amp;apos;m probably constantly&amp;#x2014;every day&amp;#x2014;talking to other moms figuring out the best way to have a strong relationship with our kids.&amp;quot;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/nicole-richie-talks-joel-madden-marriage-parenthood-philosophy--2014297>