Childhoods of the Famous

"What will he do with his life?" This thought always crosses the minds of parents at their wits end with the antics of their children. Heres what some of the most famous people were like as children. If your child shows similar inclinations, you know what to expect! In this articleNot Gandhis cup of teaRowling created a spectacleMukesh Ambanis green daysNot all was sound with MarconiPicassos brush with paintingAmelia Earharts hunting heightsNot Gandhis cup of tea When Mahatma Gandhi was twelve, a British education inspector visited his school. The students were given five English words to spell and Gandhi was the only one that made a mistake. The word was "kettle". Gandhis teacher gestured him to check out the correct spelling from his classmate. But the otherwise obedient Gandhi refused to cheat! And yes, the teacher actually scolded him after the incident. Rowling created a spectacle Did you ever wonder why Harry Potter wore glasses? Well, you just need to have a look at J. K. Rowlings childhood photos. The person, who wove the magic of Potter around millions of kids and adults, was a girl with glasses. Rowling never liked the idea that people who wore glasses were thought to be the intellectual and she always wanted a superhero who wore glasses. Mukesh Ambanis green days What would you do if you had crores of money at your disposal? Treat your kids to Disneyland, buy them the latest gadgets, clothes, and take them all around the world? Dhirubhai Ambani never did all this. His son, Mukeshs childhood was filled with outdoor activities like camping and village tours. Baths were not restricted to playing around in a bathtub but also included taking dip in streams during nature tours. And of course, Mukesh and his siblings not always zipped around the city in dads car. They commuted in trains and buses to see and explore their city. Not all was sound with Marconi The man behind the radio had a tough childhood. When Guglielmo Marconi was young his education was neglected by his parents. So, when he actually joined school he struggled through his studies. To make things worse, other kids in his class ridiculed his Italian accent. Passionate about a career in electrical engineering, Marconi faced a setback when he failed in his matriculation. An enraged father not only stopped his allowance but also destroyed the devices Marconi had created. Picassos brush with painting Picasso never showed an inclination for painting until the brush was thrust in his hands by his father, an art teacher in school. In fact, Picasso had once said, "My first drawings could never have been shown at an exhibition of childrens drawings. I lacked the clumsiness of a child, his naivety. I made academic drawings at the age of seven, the minute precision of which frightened me." Amelia Earharts hunting heights What do you think one of the earliest female pilots of the world would have been in her childhood? Fearless, tomboyish and athletic? Well, Amelia Earhart was all that and much much more. She sat like a boy while riding sleds on hills and never took the sled down in a ladylike posture (like girls in those times). Her determination to do things her way did not stop here. When she was about ten years old she hunted down rats with her .22 caliber Hamilton rifle. She had read about outbreak of plague somewhere and did not want the disease to enter her precious home. And she always stuck to the golden rule of hunting: You should not leave a wounded animal to suffer. So, when a rat ran back to its hole after being shot at, she waited for it to return to rid it of its misery!

"What will he do with his life?" This thought always crosses the minds of parents at their wits end with the antics of their children. Here's what some of the most famous people were like as children. If your child shows similar inclinations, you know what to expect!

Not Gandhi's cup of tea

When Mahatma Gandhi was twelve, a British education inspector visited his school. The students were given five English words to spell and Gandhi was the only one that made a mistake. The word was "kettle". Gandhi's teacher gestured him to check out the correct spelling from his classmate. But the otherwise obedient Gandhi refused to cheat! And yes, the teacher actually scolded him after the incident.

Rowling created a spectacle

Did you ever wonder why Harry Potter wore glasses? Well, you just need to have a look at J. K. Rowling's childhood photos. The person, who wove the magic of Potter around millions of kids and adults, was a girl with glasses. Rowling never liked the idea that people who wore glasses were thought to be the intellectual and she always wanted a superhero who wore glasses.

Mukesh Ambani's green days

What would you do if you had crores of money at your disposal? Treat your kids to Disneyland, buy them the latest gadgets, clothes, and take them all around the world? Dhirubhai Ambani never did all this. His son, Mukesh's childhood was filled with outdoor activities like camping and village tours. Baths were not restricted to playing around in a bathtub but also included taking dip in streams during nature tours. And of course, Mukesh and his siblings not always zipped around the city in dad's car. They commuted in trains and buses to see and explore their city.

Not all was sound with Marconi

The man behind the radio had a tough childhood. When Guglielmo Marconi was young his education was neglected by his parents. So, when he actually joined school he struggled through his studies. To make things worse, other kids in his class ridiculed his Italian accent. Passionate about a career in electrical engineering, Marconi faced a setback when he failed in his matriculation. An enraged father not only stopped his allowance but also destroyed the devices Marconi had created.

Picasso's brush with painting

Picasso never showed an inclination for painting until the brush was thrust in his hands by his father, an art teacher in school. In fact, Picasso had once said, "My first drawings could never have been shown at an exhibition of children's drawings. I lacked the clumsiness of a child, his naivety. I made academic drawings at the age of seven, the minute precision of which frightened me."

Amelia Earhart's hunting heights

What do you think one of the earliest female pilots of the world would have been in her childhood? Fearless, tomboyish and athletic? Well, Amelia Earhart was all that and much much more. She sat like a boy while riding sleds on hills and never took the sled down in a ladylike posture (like girls in those times). Her determination to do things her way did not stop here. When she was about ten years old she hunted down rats with her .22 caliber Hamilton rifle. She had read about outbreak of plague somewhere and did not want the disease to enter her precious home. And she always stuck to the golden rule of hunting: You should not leave a wounded animal to suffer. So, when a rat ran back to its hole after being shot at, she waited for it to return to rid it of its misery!