“Kids Were Upset Because Maria Was Gone”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Had to Be Both “Mom and Dad” After Ex-Wife Maria Shriver Was in Hospital for a Happy Reason in 1997

Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s bodybuilding physique brought him much acclaim in the sports arena, but his Hollywood career catapulted his fame worldwide. Not just his professional life, but also his personal life was constantly in the public eye. His affair with his housemaid and subsequent divorce from his wife, Maria Shriver, was a hot topic on tabloids back in the day. But his autobiography Total Recall gives more snippets of his happy time with his ex-wife and children. 

Arnie and Maria Shriver married in 1986 and happily lived for 25 years before separating in 2011. They have four children together, and Schwarzenegger actively participated in their upbringing despite his busy schedule. However, the Austrian Oak had to perform mommy and daddy duties when Shriver was conceived with their fourth child. 

The Austrian Oak’s parenting duties in 1997

Having married Shriver, Arnie lived a perfect family life parenting his four children together with his ex-wife. Schwarzenegger used to drop his children at school on a roofless Hummer and would participate in painting sessions with his adorable daughters. However, it became difficult for the 76-year-old to take care of his three kids when Shriver was admitted to the hospital when pregnant with Christopher due to morning sickness. 

“Kids were upset because Maria was gone,” he confessed in his autobiography. However, Schwarzenegger decided to be with the kids and postponed his work-related commitments. Revealing his days with the kids when Shriver was in the hospital, Arnie confessed, “spent a lot of extra hours at home trying to be both mom and dad.”

The Terminator icon came up with a solution to keep his wife and kids happy. He would make his children pick an “elegant flower” from the garden daily to give to their mom on their visits to the hospital before and after school. The entire episode from Arnie’s biography reflects his affection towards his family as a husband and father. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger-The Father

The FUBAR actor left his home and family in Thal to build a bodybuilding career. During his days as a bodybuilder, he met Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, and got married to her, building a family of his own. In his Netflix three-episode docuseries, Arnold, the 76-year-old confessed how Katherine’s birth left him in tears of joy.

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Sharing his painting sessions with daughters during Patrick’s birth, Arnie wrote in his autobiography, “The girls and I got into this delightful rhythm of drawing and playing together…”  Despite the separation, Shriver and Governator come together to celebrate their kids’ special occasions in life. 

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Arnold Schwarzenegger lived a legendary life succeeding in three careers. He earned a worldwide fanbase with his high-octane action sequences. Despite his great professional life, he tried not to miss his moments with his children. This episode aptly resonates with the responsible father facet of Arnold Schwarzenegger.