Tough Dad Joel Madden

04 November 2009

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Joel Madden chose to call his son Sparrow because he wanted to make life hard for him.

The Good Charlotte rocker - who celebrated the birth of his first son in September - knows his little lad is going to have a privileged upbringing so thought giving him an unusual moniker would teach him how to stand up for himself.

Joel - who also has a 21-month-old daughter Harlow with partner Nicole Richie - said: "It reminded me of the Johnny Cash song 'A Boy Named Sue'. My worry raising a son in Hollywood is, what will he have to struggle for? I wanted to give him a name that he's going to have to stand up for. I love it, I think it's a beautiful name."

While I'm working, it all piles on Nicole. She takes care of the kids, and it never gets to her. She doesn't feel like she's giving up anything - she is whole heartedly their mom.

Joel also says he's a amazed at how dedicated Nicole is to raising their family.

He told Britain's OK! magazine: "While I'm working, it all piles on Nicole. She takes care of the kids, and it never gets to her. She doesn't feel like she's giving up anything - she is whole heartedly their mom."