Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened up about the unconventional parenting methods that he used on his four children.
The 76-year-old bodybuilder-turned-action hero recently offered a glimpse into his distinctive childrearing style in a new interview with PEOPLE magazine.
Known for his larger-than-life roles in movies like The Terminator and Commando, Schwarzenegger admitted that his approach to raising his children was just as dramatic and firm as some of his popular on-screen characters.
The star shares Katherine, 33, Christina, 31, Patrick, 30, and Christopher, 26, with ex-wife Maria Shriver. He also has an illegitimate son, Joseph Baena, who he had with his former housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena.
Speaking to the publication ahead of the release of his new book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, the Austrian-born icon said that he tried to share his wisdom with his brood, but it didn’t always work out well.
One example Schwarzenegger gave was when he threw his daughter Katherine's shoes into a fire because she left them to stand in front of the fireplace. He explained that he took the extreme course of action after his eldest child failed to put them away numerous times.
However, he mentioned that Katherine now uses the same parenting tactics that she once despised on her own child Lyla - whom she shares with Marvel star Chris Pratt.
"As a matter of fact, Katherine comes over with [her three-year-old daughter] Lyla and she says, 'Lyla, I told you already not to put the shoes there,'" he said. "'Keep your shoes on or you put them away, but you 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.'"
When asked if he actually torched his daughter's shoes, the Predator star told the outlet, grinning: "Yes, absolutely. Now uses the same methods which she cried over and that she complained about."
Katherine wasn’t the only one who fell short of her dad's strict rules, as Schwarzenegger also revealed that he once furiously threw his son Patrick's mattress out the window because the youngster 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," he recalled. "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.'"
The True Lies star also reflected on conflict with his eldest son over his lengthy, hot showers, telling him: "It's over, no more showers. Five minutes, one shower, and then that's it and we're turning it off."
The hilarious parenthood tales come after he candidly spoke about his former affair with the family housekeeper that ended his 25-year marriage with Shriver.
During his marriage to the 67-year-old journalist, the Hollywood star had an extramarital tryst with Baena, which resulted in the birth of his son, Joseph, in 1997.
The Terminator star initially believed that Joseph - who was born five days after Schwarzenegger welcomed son Christopher with Shriver - was the son of Baena's husband.
However, he soon realized that the now-26-year-old was his, and disclosed it to his wife during a marriage counseling session in 2011. The scandalous revelation led to the end of his two-decades-long marriage to Shriver in 2021.
The Fubar actor reflected on the tumultuous period in his life and emphasized that there had been no feud or dramatic altercation leading to the end of his marriage with Shriver. Instead, he recognized the affair's impact on their relationship and family, stating that it was his "f**k up," per PEOPLE.
He also disclosed that even though it was his mistake that ended his nuptials with the former First Lady of California, he still has a profound love for her.
"My chapter with Maria will continue on forever," he added. "Even though it’s a different relationship, there’s no reason for me to feel anything other than love for her."
In addition to this, Schwarzenegger said that the former couple prioritized their children's well-being throughout their turbulent times. "We always made it very clear that the kids should not suffer because of [the affair]," he shared.
"And she has her things, her relationship, I have mine [with Heather Milligan], but we always communicate about the kids, about the holidays, about birthday parties and Mother's Day parties and Christmas," he added.
