Why Guy Ritchie Deserves Rocco Ritchie More Than Madonna

Madonna went to court right before Christmas to order her son Rocco, 15, to return home to her in New York. He was visiting with his father and her ex-husband, filmmaker Guy Ritchie, in London and refused to return. As of this writing, the teen is still abroad with his dad. His refusal kicked off a bit of an international custody battle that's grabbing plenty of headlines, since the Material Girl and her former husband are said to have at-odds parenting styles. While Rocco certainly has two parents that love him and want the best for him, he's in a win-win situation. However, there are critical reasons that Ritchie deserves custody of their son, as opposed to Madge.

People reported that Madonna and Ritchie are at odds over how to co-parent Rocco. Madge is allegedly super stern, while the director is more focused on things like helping his son develop long-term confidence, which he himself lacked while growing up, since he suffered from dyslexia. Ritchie apparently feels that he can really foster his son's self-esteem.

Rocco traipsed around the world with his mother on her Rebel Heart tour. While that was fun, exciting, and a scenario that made him a citizen of the world, it's not exactly a stable lifestyle for a teenager that is going through plenty of physical and hormonal changes. At home, Ritchie has young children with his new wife. That translates to a calmer, more regimented scenario. Rocco also has friends in London that he is said to prefer, so says People. There's also the rumor that he has a girlfriend in London, which increases the gravitational pull to his dad's hood. It sounds like his life and heart really are in London, along with a solid parent.

While living in NYC with his mom, Rocco attends a private school. He allegedly thinks the institution is "elitist," according to a Ritchie source who is aware of the situation.

While Madonna no doubt loves her son fiercely, he is at the age where a father's direct and daily influence is unquestionably critical in his development. Dad and son were snapped by The Daily Mail, stepping out in London the other day in matching jackets. Their choice of attire indicates a real closeness and Rocco's desire to be like his dad. For his part, Ritchie has always seemed close with his son, before and after his split with the Material Girl.

Ritchie is a celebrated director and has his own measure of fame and celebrity. But he's not Madonna. Her Madgesty is one of the biggest pop stars ever and is one of the most famous and instantly recognizable women on the planet. Her surroundings are chaotic, despite her best efforts to keep things calm. It has to be tough for her son to deal with the paps and their prying flashbulbs, his mother's persona, and the general hoopla that comes with being Madonna's son.

When Rocco initially refused to come home to Madonna, she immediately went to court to try and get what she wanted. While we can understand and appreciate her desire to get her son back in the U.S., as well as her need to force her hand via the legal system, it also smacked of selfishness and of "me, me, me" more than did it of "what's best for Rocco."

There is no question that the Material Girl loves her son and tries her best to keep things as normal as possible for him. But with his big sister Lourdes away at college in Michigan, Rocco is likely feeling like his world has been shaken a bit. Even though Madge has her adopted children David and Mercy at home, Lourdes being off at school likely turned more of a spotlight on Rocco, and he may not like it. It's no surprise he prefers the company of his father instead.