Madonna and Guy Ritchie have been spending time together after her daughter begged them not to be "mean".

Guy was seen entering his ex-wife Madonna's New York apartment on Tuesday (13.01.09) sparking rumours of a reconciliation, but the pair reportedly only met to placate 12-year-old Lourdes.

A source said: "They're working very hard to have an amicable divorce, because Lourdes came to them begging, 'Please don't be mean to each other.' Then she told them she wanted everything to be as friendly as possible."

The couple - who announced they were separating after nearly eight years of marriage last October - are now determined to make their separation as easy as possible for the sake of Lourdes, their eight-year-old son Rocco and adopted son David Banda, three.

The source added to the New York Daily News newapaper: "Madonna and Guy are getting along better than they have in over a year. Their separation has had a positive effect on their relationship as parents."

Madonna has sought support from friends who follow Kabbalah, a mystical off-shoot of Judaism, who are also said to be behind the improved relations between her and Guy.

A friend of the 50-year-old singer's revealed: "Kabbalah doesn't encourage divorce. So her friends in the religion are pushing for them to reunite or, at the very least, maintain a solid friendship."