Nicole Richie's 2 Kids: All About Harlow and Sparrow

Although Nicole Richie grew up in the spotlight as the daughter of Lionel Richie, she prefers to keep her kids mostly out of the public eye.

The former reality star and her husband, Joel Madden, whom she's been married to since 2010, share two children: daughter Harlow, 16, and son Sparrow, 14.

Nicole has been candid about her parenting experience and the struggles of being a working mom.

"Saying that it is difficult sometimes is very comforting for other women to hear — just knowing that it is a juggle," the mom of two told PEOPLE in September 2015. "It's just about doing what you can, finding the balance in your own life ... Every family is different, every household is set up differently and it's just a constant game of prioritizing — it's like a puzzle every day."

Nicole feels grateful to be raising kids at a time when moms feel more comfortable having these conversations, though.

"I know my mom didn't have that," she said in another interview with PEOPLE. "Women are no longer ashamed to say, 'Oh, this is so hard! I'm worried I'm not doing a good job.' Women are supporting each other in that space, which I think is so awesome."

In April 2024, Harlow and Sparrow attended the Los Angeles premiere of Nicole's film Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. The teens, who are spitting images of their parents, posed for photos on the red carpet with their family — including their grandfather, Lionel, and his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi.

Keep reading for everything there is to know about Nicole Richie's children.

Harlow Madden, 16

Richie's first child, daughter Harlow Winter Kate Madden, was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2008.

As the daughter of a fashionista, Harlow has definitely inherited her mother's eye for beauty. When Richie was the face of Urban Decay's Naked Petite Heat palette in 2018, she shared with PEOPLE that her then-10-year-old daughter loved makeup, and went about her beauty routine in her own distinct way. "She's a different beast than me," said the star. "She should have this campaign. She is like a glitter, a liner, a liquid liner, a blush, a lipstick, a YouTube tutorial video. She is in it."

When she was younger, though, Harlow was more of an introvert and liked to stay out of the spotlight when the family would join dad Madden on tour. "Sometimes my daughter doesn't even come," Richie said when Harlow was 8 years old. "She's a little more reserved. She'll hang out on the bus and do art. The bus is awesome."

Richie is also raising her daughter to be a feminist. The mother-daughter duo once attended a Women's March together, and Richie said Harlow herself had voiced that she wanted to attend.

"She knew what it was, she heard about it last year. I went last year, a few of her friends went," Richie explained to PEOPLE during her 2018 interview. "Her and her friends had decided they wanted to go. It was their decision. Her and four friends came with us. I really loved it. I was so happy that she was there."

"I want her to be able to look at any adult male or female for the rest of her life and to be able to own how she feels and be able to tap into her instincts without ever feeling she has to protect anybody else or think about anybody other than her well being and her safety," Richie added. "I want her to have power in her voice and confidence with her voice and her feelings."

In addition to her passion for beauty and feminism, Harlow may have a future as a clothing designer like her mom. "My daughter loves fashion, but she has her own style. It doesn't have anything to do with me. She takes my clothes all the time," Richie said of her fashion-savvy daughter in August 2021. "I have just started writing an N with a Sharpie on all of my stuff so that [she knows it's mine]."

Richie and her husband tend to keep their children's lives private, rarely posting photos of them on social media. The clothing designer did however mark her daughter's 13th birthday on Instagram, posting a rare throwback photo of when Harlow was only 3 months old.

"Here you are at 3 months old. Today you are 13. ♥️," Richie wrote in the caption. "You light up my life with your presence, & have no problem lighting up my bedroom with your bright phone screen. Nothing is better than watching you become the young woman you are. I am so lucky I get to be your mom."

Two years later, Harlow made another appearance on her mom's social media when Richie posted a sweet group photo for Mother's Day 2023. In the snap, Richie, her mother, her sister Sofia and Harlow posed together in a living room.

Harlow has close relationships with her family, including her aunt Sofia, Richie's younger sister.

"My favorite trio," Sofia once captioned a photo of herself with her sister and niece.

Sparrow Madden, 14

Riche's second child, son Sparrow James Midnight Madden, was born on Sept. 9, 2009.

While Sparrow's name is similar to his older sister's moniker, the naming pattern was unintentional. "I didn't even realize that [both of their names] ended with 'ow,' " Richie said a few months after his birth. "We really just have to work with whatever it is we both agree on, so I really liked Sparrow from Captain Jack Sparrow, and he liked it for different reasons."

Like his sister and mom, Sparrow has also developed his own unique sense of style, although his very closely resembles his rock star dad's look.

"Sparrow's actually dressing himself now but he's very particular," Richie said when Sparrow was just 3 years old. "So he needs the bandana tied around the belt, you know how Joel does it … he has to have all of his sleeves cut off of his shirts. He's got a little curly mohawk now!"

Even as Sparrow got older, he continued to dress like his father. "Sparrow does his own thing. He likes to wear all black like his dad," Richie said in 2016.

While Sparrow's parents have largely kept him off their social media pages over the years, Madden did post a rare photo of his son on Instagram to honor his 11th birthday.

"Happy 11th Birthday to my baby boy! I love you Sparrow ❤️here's to many more years of being best friends and me embarrassing you," the Good Charlotte frontman wrote alongside a throwback photo of Sparrow sitting on his shoulders.