I would just plan on some nice trips to Europe/Latin America/Asia with them. Sure you may need to buy a ticket to JAX or MIA (or drive) but 2 first class tickets or 4 business class tickets (adding a little on the side) will just about use up your miles. And yes, if you have elite status on AA then wait til very early next year and ask for a comp on another carrier.
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Fly first class now or your children will</font>