How Summer and Expectations Shaped Our Childhood, and Still Shapes Us Now
I remember the night before our family left for summer vacation. Everything was packed and stowed in the car. The back seat was fitted with blow‑up mattresses folded into the wells so the kids had a place to lie down and sleep, if we could. We were sent to bed, though no one truly slept, and then carried to the car around midnight to begin the long journey to the lake.
Summer was a season of expectations. School was over, and if you were lucky, you had no assignments to complete. Yes, there was always the reading list for September, but you had all summer to ignore it and cram those novels into the last two weeks of August. With summer’s arrival, everything felt glorious. Vacation was coming. Freedom was coming. The freedom to ride your bike, roam the neighborhood, and get into just enough mischief to feel alive.
Now, as summer approaches again, what are your expectations?
Think back to those childhood summers. Maybe you looked forward to sleep‑away camp, or perhaps you had a neighbor who ran a day camp where you could run wild, scream to your heart’s content, make water balloons, battle with other campers, create beaded necklaces or bookmarks, put on plays, and turn everything into a contest with your friends.
Looking forward to summer was a treat in itself.
After all, summer symbolized freedom. No more waking up at dawn to meet the bus. No more homework after dinner. No more rigid schedules. Summer was different. You could go to the barn and spend the morning building a fort out of hay bales. You could wander to the creek, stir the water with a stick, and dig for tiny creatures. You could ride your bike to your friends’ houses and gather a gang to play baseball in the open field or hide‑and‑seek across the neighborhood.
If you were really lucky, you found a place to swim and spent the day moving in and out of the pool. At some point, you gathered the courage to try the high dive and prayed your friends weren’t watching that first attempt—because it was almost guaranteed to be a belly flop. But eventually, you were shouting for their attention as you leapt off the board, slicing through the water like a knife and touching the bottom before popping back up for air.
Summer is coming again, bringing its promise of freedom, adventure, and new memories.
Enjoy!!
For more reflections on memory, childhood experiences, and the psychology of anticipation, explore articles on Psychology Today and research from Greater Good Science Center.
If you are exploring how past experiences shape your present expectations—or how to create more joy and freedom in your life—therapy can help you understand and deepen those connections. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight, resilience, and growth.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
