The Great Read: I Taught My Son Everything, Except How to Take a Vacation
He was about to leave for college when I realized: I had never taken him on a real vacation.
The New York Times
The Great Read

March 19, 2026, 2:01 p.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

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Artwork by Jean Jullien

I Taught My Son Everything, Except How to Take a Vacation

He was about to leave for college when I realized: I had never taken him on a real vacation.

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