Arnold Schwarzenegger Details Extreme Punishments He Used While Parenting His Now-Adult Kids
Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the unusual parenting practices he used on his now-adult children.
In a new interview with People, the Terminator star shared what he felt were "humorous stories" about how he disciplined two of his five children, Katherine and Patrick.
"The first one is Katherine…As a matter of fact, Katherine comes over with [her daughter] Lyla and she says, 'Lyla, I told you already not to put the shoes there. Keep your shoes on or you put them away, but don't leave them there by the stand in front of the fireplace because you know what Daddy did? When I left my shoes there twice? The third time, he burned them in front of me and I cried,'" he said.
When asked if he really burned his daughter's shoes, he admitted while laughing, "Yes, absolutely." The former governor added, "Now [Katherine] uses the same methods which she cried over and that she complained about."
He also shared how he used to discipline his son Patrick, telling a shocking story about the measures he took when the then-nine-year-old didn't make his bed.
"I opened up the door to the balcony, picked up the mattress and threw it down with the bedsheets, the pillows, everything. I said, don't ever make someone come in and clean your room, clean your shower or make your bed, I said, 'Because I taught you how to make the bed,'" he recalled.
He also shared that he intervened when Patrick enjoyed taking long, hot showers, without allowing his son to bathe for more than five minutes. He decided that, to put a stop to his son's relaxing showers, he'd get one with a timer, that'd turn the water ice cold after an allotted time.
"And so when he got the shower on and he was whistling and singing in there and thinking Daddy's not around, all the sudden the ice-cold shower came on. And all of a sudden, we heard downstairs, the scream," he said.
Schwarzenegger also told People that he grew up in a tumultuous household due to his father's behavior. "When he was drunk, he was not forthcoming with his emotions. He was angry. And when he was not—two, three days later, he would maybe feel guilty and buy us ice cream and take us out, hugging, kissing and all that stuff." He shared that his dad's motto was "Be useful."
The actor co-opted the words for his upcoming book Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, in which he shares how he was able to achieve success. It'll be out on October 10.
Next: Actor, Governator, Dad! Meet All 5 of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Kids
