

Growing up, the Schwarzeneggers made sure that their children led a humble life just like any other kid. In fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger did not want his children to depend on his celebrity status to get away with things. He wanted them to lead ordinary lives and learn to be independent.
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Eldest daughter Katherine Schwarzenegger once sat down with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest to talk about her childhood. During the show, she revealed how she led a normal childhood, courtesy of her father and his ideals. But how did the siblings get away with their iconic surname?
Katherine Schwarzenegger grew up just like any other kid
Having a popular surname such as Schwarzenegger was sure to give away the siblings’ identity. However, they got away without anyone knowing that their father was The Terminator. The eldest daughter Katherine revealed how the Austrian Oak took special steps to enable a normal childhood for his four children. In an interview, she talked about how the siblings never revealed their last names in the first place!

“We never used our last name ever. I wrote my last name on the paper for the first time when I went to college” revealed the author. In order to make sure his children weren’t recognized by his name, Schwarzenegger kept the identity of their surnames hidden. So what did the children write instead? Katherine mentioned how the siblings would always go by merely ‘S’ after their names. This did not raise any eyebrows, and the children grew up just like any other average American kid.
Katherine recalled the first time she wrote her full surname was when she was in college. This gave her enough time to learn to be independent. Similarly, her other siblings also grew up doing odd jobs and earning a meager living while their father was the governor.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger being a Governor didn’t stop his son from earning a daily wage
Since childhood, Patrick Schwarzenegger was encouraged to work and earn his pocket money, just like any other kid his age even when his father was the Governor of California back then. It didn’t stop him from taking a job at the local mall. Patrick would act as a tour guide, valet, and in an interesting turn of events, a security guard!

via Getty
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Patrick Schwarzenegger attend the European Premiere of “The Last Stand” at Odeon West End on January 22, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The actor and media business executive once recalled how he acted as Paris Hilton’s security guard at the mall. While the incident was hilarious, it also reflects how Arnold’s ideals and values were taken seriously by his children. Although they dipped their toes into Hollywood, they ended up with a rooted background by themselves. It’s rare to see celebrity kids establish their ventures by themselves, and Arnold Schwarzenegger made sure to give his children that opportunity.
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Watch this story: Every time Arnold Schwarzenegger took over WWE
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