MJacksonJoe062909.jpg Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe have supposedly struck a deal which would exclude Joe Jackson from having any involvement in the upbringing of Michael's three children.

Though Joe has insisted that he and Katherine should share joint custody of Prince, Paris, and Blanket, sources tell the The Mirror that Debbie and Katherine are now close to a deal in which Katherine will bring the children up, while Debbie would have regular visitation. Their lawyers met on Friday, and it appears as though they will be able to reach an agreement before the July 20 guardianship hearing.

Michael famously accused his father of beating him as a boy, and it's also widely reported that Joe aggressively pushed Michael and his siblings into show business at a very early age, perhaps against their will. When Joe made comments about Paris and Blanket’s potential as performers last week, it apparently infuriated both Katherine and Debbie and brought them closer together, and closer to reaching a decision with regard to the guardianship of Michael's kids.

The children are currently staying at the Jackson family's Encino compound, where they are being encouraged to talk about their father as much as possible as part of their grieving process. Under the watchful eye of Katherine, the kids have been living as normal a life as possible, playing with ordinary toys, relaxing, and being kept out of the spotlight.