Deborah Engel Interview! by Jenna Gabrielle Schulman

Trips Growing up

jennagschulman — 2024-09-22 23:38:06 UTC

When I was a kid we would spend our summer driving to South Carolina in our station wagon. We would spend the summer playing on the beach and enjoying being a kid in a safe space. I feel this is very different from the way my kids and I took trips when they were growing up. We flew, my kids liked to watch movies on the CD player on the plane and while we were there, as well as my family would let us have more freedom on trips than I let my kids have growing up as when I grew up there was less of a concern for kidnapping and other tragedies that are common now.

Learning From Your Mistakes!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-22 23:40:56 UTC

My favorite advice to give others is to learn from your mistakes. Learning from your mistakes is a valuable learning experience. We are all so afraid to fail but I see small failures or mistakes as an opportunity to grow as a person. Looking back on my life and mistakes I have made has lead me to this reflection. If you never allow someone to fail, they will never grow!

Giving Back!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-22 23:42:51 UTC

I like to volunteer and give back to my community. When my kids were growing up I also used to volunteer at their schools. Giving back to others fulfills you more than doing just for yourself!

Historical Events in my Lifetime

jennagschulman — 2024-09-22 23:59:13 UTC

Although there were many historical events that happened within my life. One that I recall vividly and stands out the most is the 911 terrorist attack. This historical event stands out to me as my kids were young and had never experienced something this tragic before. Getting my kids up and ready for school I recall our normal routine of watching the today show in the kitchen while eating breakfast. This day was no different as we turned the television on we watched as the plane hit the world trade center. It was shocking to me how our normal routine flipped upside down. I had to explain to my elementary school aged kids how tragic this was going to be for our country. The only thing as a child that i experienced and could compare this event too was the cold war, although this event was never on the battlefield it was a scary time for our nation, and went on throughout all of my childhood into my adult years. These events were different but experiencing both of them one in adolescence and the other when i had kids was the scariest part for me!

My Favorite Television Shows!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:08:28 UTC

Growing up in the 60's some of my favorite shows were The Andy Griffith Show and the Partridge Family. These shows embody the wholesomeness of the time! I remember sitting on the floor, what was different as there was no clicker so we sat on the floor to be close to the dial as we watched our favorite shows! My sister and I would come home from school and watch the television, there was also no recordings so we would watch them live. This is very different from todays society where you can stream absolutely anything.

Simplicity of Life

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:16:55 UTC

Times were so much more simple growing up in the 60's. There was much less to worry about when I was growing up versus when I was raising my kids. We would play in the streets after school, ride our bikes everywhere, and play with whoever. Simple games were popular like Jax, tag, and kickball. No cellular devices to get in the way. When my kids were growing up I started to see the difference in safety concern. I would never let my kids play like I used to play! I would never call myself a helicopter parent but I definitely am one to worry about safety in todays society.

Societal Changes

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:23:41 UTC

I would've never even believed if you told me growing up that my children would be using self driving cars and carrying computers with them instead of books. I grew up with a type writer and station wagons without seatbelts. Although these newt technologies are so useful and so much safer it is scary to think how much has changed within my lifetime.

Music!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:29:21 UTC

The music growing was very different than it is today. Some of my favorite groups were the Monkeys and the Beatles. Everybody loved the Beatles! I even still listen to the Beatles with my kids.

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:40:17 UTC

This is a picture of My sister and I! We were very close in age, most of my memories growing up revolve around her as we were best friends and did everything together!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:44:28 UTC

This is a picture of my family and I. I was one of three girls. Growing up during this time was very different, like i said everything was very simple compared to when I was raising my kids. My mother actually made these matching dresses for me and my sisters.

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:46:55 UTC

We didn't have hot tools, or curling irons. We used to put curlers in our hair from a young age!

jennagschulman — 2024-09-23 00:49:01 UTC

These outfits were called Garanimals! Everyone wore outfits like these. The top and bottom matched in some sort of way! They were sold in sets!