Have your SO sign up for SPG with you doing the referal. You can mix and match points. Sign you kids up for a card sponsored by you. You will earn 1k points per kid.

Also consider crediting Ethiad miles to AA if you get a better return. See http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/earnMiles/travel/airlines/etihad.jsp. If that works out you can always use your Gold privileges until you get to the gate and then switch over to AAdvantage at the gate.