Hello all. I am looking for some help on gauging the toll a weekly commute would have on me and my family. I realize this question has been asked before but it seems like it is for flights of various longer durations. I have the opportunity for a management position in Chicago. I like chicago but would not be moving there if it wasn't for this position. Given this fact, I would not be comfortable moving there until I see how the job works out. The company is sympathetic and has agreed to pay my travel expenses to commute up to a year. This would include a car and permanent room in chicago. We currently live in northeastern pa. Allentown airport is closer for me but because of the cost they have asked if I would fly out of Newark. This is about an 1:20 to 1:30 away without traffic. The deal is I would fly out on the 10am monday flight to be in chicago for their afternoon meeting. I could then leave work around 4pm on Wednesday and hop aboard the plane to be on the ground and in my house by about 10pm. Flight duration is about 2 hours and I would not need to check a bag most days. I would work from home the other 2 days. I have an 8 year old daughter and have very rarely been away from her more than a day or so. We have talked about it and she is ok with it as she wants to move to chicago but I doubt an 8 year old understands what it would be like until we are doing it. We have talked about the video skyping but that is a poor substitute.
Once I am settled into the position I will not need to commute quite as much and they do seem to be flexible with things. To complicate matters, I have a job offer locally that is fairly close to same pay (and probably better with COL) but would not provide me the same experiences and penetration of the "glass ceiling". The easy thing to do is just go local but the other job could help decide my direction for the rest of my life. I am not overly career focused and like to have a work/life balance. I know it is a personal choice but I am wondering what some of the thoughts would be on the commute for the year basis and just how bad it will be. Thanks in advance.