Minneapolis, MN

Mom of 2: My husband supercommuted from Minneapolis to NYC for 10 years—how we made it work

Published

2 years ago

June 1, 2024

Mom of 2: My husband supercommuted from Minneapolis to NYC for 10 years—how we made it work

“Your husband does what?!” I heard this question so many times over the 10 years my husband, Ian, flew weekly from our home in Minneapolis to his job in New York City.

It was 2010 when Ian was offered a dream job in NYC as the Head of Content at The Mill, a world-renowned visual effects company. The timing was terrible.

We’d just relocated from Los Angeles to Minneapolis and were settling into the house we’d bought there. Our kids were one and three. I was rebuilding my therapy private practice from scratch.

Not an ideal time to pick up and move to one of the most expensive cities in the country, especially with the economy in turmoil. We didn’t feel comfortable uprooting our lives.

When Ian asked to fly back and forth every week, his new employer agreed, and we joined the ranks of supercommuter couples around the world.

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Here’s how we made it work.

We became pros at flights and rentals

Because Ian chose to supercommute, we were responsible for flights and housing.

I became extremely savvy at finding the best deals on flights, using the right credit cards to book, maximizing airline status, and racking up and leveraging miles. Benefits included access to airport lounges — important when flight delays forced Ian to take meetings while he waited — and lots of free flights for our family vacations.

We decided it’d be more economical to rent small studios or rooms for Ian to stay in during the week instead of booking hotels. Over that 10-year span, he lived in seven different apartments in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Ian posted photos and art on the walls of the New York City apartments he stayed in during the week when he supercommuted from Minneapolis.

Courtesy of Megan Bearce

I did the legwork to see how close they were to subway stops and whether there were late-night dining options for the days he worked until 9 pm. We balanced cost with safety and distance from work, and we were lucky to find places that were, as I remember it, about $1,500 per month or less.

Having more consistent spaces meant Ian didn’t have to live out of a suitcase and could decorate with memories of home.

We prioritized communication and quality time

When I interviewed people for my book “Super Commuter Couples: Staying Together When a Job Keeps You Apart,” many shared that others judged their relationships because they spend so much time apart.

But proximity is no guarantee of commitment. I learned from experience that time together is about quality rather than quantity — and time apart can work if you communicate openly and regularly.

Ian and I prioritized date nights and a yearly weekend away. When we were apart, we’d check in at the start of a call: “How are you doing? Is this a good time to talk?” Because our days were hectic, we started sending each other quick texts to say hello rather than always trying to have in-depth phone calls.

We leaned into little rituals and traditions with the kids

For a time, Ian would make himself a PB&J Sunday night for his Monday travels, and it became a tradition for the kids to help him, decorating the wrapping with stickers or notes.

We’d often have Friday pizza and movie nights to celebrate being back together again for the weekend.

“I learned from experience that time together is about quality rather than quantity,” says Megan, pictured here with Ian in 2012, just a couple of years into their time as a supercommuter couple.

Courtesy of Megan Bearce

When the kids were little, I’d print out calendars for them. I’d draw an airplane on days Ian flew home and mark other fun things we had going on while he was away, like a tree on a day we’d go to the park. The kids had a better concept of time when they crossed days off the calendar to count down to Ian’s return.

Ian also sent us postcards made from photos he took while he was away. The little things add up.

We made sure to take family vacations

Given the cold and snow of Minnesota, our winter escape was often a family cruise. There was all kinds of entertainment, no cooking or meal planning to think about, and a kids’ playroom if Ian and I wanted to have dinner alone.

Most importantly, onboard Wi-Fi was so expensive at the time that we didn’t buy it and Ian couldn’t work. These were real vacations for all of us — a chance to relax and have fun together.

The kids and I visited Ian in NYC once a year

We toured his office and met his co-workers, so that when he told us stories about them, we knew who these people were. Getting to see dad’s life during the week helped the kids understand where he was when he was away.

Plus, because of the nature of his job, they got to see a working commercial set, which has inspired our daughter to pursue the creative arts in college.

Visits to New York City helped the kids get a glimpse of Ian’s life during the week, Megan says.

Courtesy of Megan Bearce

We admitted we needed help

We were fortunate that my sister lived with us for the first five years and my parents were only two hours away. The extra support they offered me was huge, as was the quality time we all had with them.

Beyond family, our neighbors knew our situation and they were willing to help out if needed. When the kids were little, we hired someone to mow and shovel snow. I found an amazing handyman and a reliable plumber I knew I could call for any issues that needed fixing during the week.

I had a few babysitters I could reach out to if I wanted some time for myself — whether it was to take a Pilates class or go out to dinner with a friend during the week. Other times, I used the gym’s childcare center while I worked out.

We made sure solo parenting didn’t overwhelm me

We decided not to have our kids participate in a lot of activities when they were younger. The logistics of multiple activities felt too overwhelming for me to handle with Ian away during the week.

Even so, I needed breaks from all that solo parenting and I took them — including for a yearly girls’ weekend. (Time for dad to be the solo parent!)

The Bearce family on vacation in Cape Cod.

Courtesy of Megan Bearce

We appreciated the upsides

While we had a few challenges, we don’t regret our choice. Ian got to pursue a fulfilling career. I didn’t have to rebuild my therapy practice a third time or get licensed in a new state. We raised our family where there are good public schools, lots of green space and a reasonable cost of living.

Our kids learned early on about the importance of self-care and quality time with loved ones. They realized that the best choice might not be the easiest one, but that you have to do what works for you.

Megan Bearce is a licensed therapist, coach and author of the book “Super Commuter Couples: Staying Together When a Job Keeps You Apart.” She is a sought-after speaker and writer on workplace mental health, burnout, business travel wellness and perfectionism, and has been interviewed as an expert by SHRM, BBC, Forbes, MarketWatch, and CBS Evening News. She holds an MA in clinical psychology and is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT). Find her on her website as well as on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis neighbors unite: Snow emergencies prompt community spirit

Published

6 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Minneapolis neighbors unite: Snow emergencies prompt community spirit

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Residents in Minneapolis and St. Paul are working hard to manage the aftermath of a recent snowstorm, with snow emergencies still in effect.

Snow removal efforts continue

What we know:

Crews and residents are actively clearing snow from streets and sidewalks.

Minneapolis residents must clear the entire width of city sidewalks within 24 hours to ensure accessibility.

Kevin Gilliam, a local homeowner, was seen snow-blowing his property to avoid dealing with hardened snow later.

“I couldn’t get to it last night when the snow stopped around 8 or 9 o’clock,” said Gilliam. “I wanted to make sure I got the snow up, so it didn’t kind of freeze hard on the bottom.”

Neighbors lend a helping hand

What they’re saying:

Richard Cushing helped his neighbor Robert Young, who recently moved to Minneapolis from Colorado, dig out his car.

Young was initially using a dust pan before Cushing offered a shovel.

“Three things you need for the winter in Minnesota: a good shovel, good tires, and a good neighbor,” said Young.

Cushing noticed Young’s struggle and decided to assist.

“I saw him trying to dig it out with a dust pan. And I thought, I have a shovel in my car, I can probably do better than that,” said Cushing.

“You use what you have. And that’s all I could find in the house. We just moved in here from Colorado, and it’s a totally different snow altogether. And the Colorado snow is light and fluffy, and you just kind of blow it off. This has got attitude. It’s going to hang around,” Young added.

What’s next:

Temperatures are expected to drop – which means cleaning up snow will become more difficult in the coming days.

Winter WeatherWeatherMinneapolisSt. Paul

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Minneapolis, MN

Ell-Saline Splits with Minneapolis to Open the Tri-County Classic

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

Ell-Saline Splits with Minneapolis to Open the Tri-County Classic

Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull

The Ell-Saline Cardinals were at home for the first time this season as they welcomed the Minneapolis Lions to Brookville to open up the Tri-County Classic. The Minneapolis lady Lions took the girls game 51-20 and Ell-Saline won the boys game 51-22.

GIRLS: MINNEAPOLIS 51, ELL-SALINE 20

It was a rough night for the Ell-Saline lady Cards as they struggled to get things going against a tough and physical lady Lions team. Ell-Saline would hang with Minneapolis for the first 4 minutes of the game and had a 5-2 to start the game. The lady Lions started to heat up as they would end the quarter on a 16-3 run and led 18-8 after the first.

The woes continued in the 2nd quarter for the lady Cards as they were held scoreless for the quarter and Minneapolis took a 35-8 lead into the locker room.

Ell-Saline tightened things up in the 2nd half after turning the ball over 21 times in the first half but the damage had already been done. The lady Lions would only outscore the lady Cards 16-12 in the final two quarter but would still coast to a 51-20 win.

Paisley Jensen led the way for the lady Cardinals in the loss as she ended the night with 7 points.

Baylee Randall-Hurt and Riley Robinson both finished with a game high 12 points for the lady Lions as they would dominate inside the paint.

Ell-Saline drops to 1-1 on the season and will continue the Tri-County Classic this Friday as they travel to Belleville to take on the the Republic County Lady Buffs. Minneapolis moves to 2-1 on the season and will take on Bennington Friday night in the Tri-County Classic.

CITY PLUMBING HEATING AND COOLING PLAYER OF THE GAME: Paisley Jensen (7 Points)

BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (2-1) –18 – 17 – 13 – 3 / 51

ELL-SALINE (1-1) – 8 – 0 – 9 – 3 / 20

Individual Scoring

Ell-Saline – Paisley Jensen 7, Bret Hecker 5, Aubrey Smith 3, Levaya Aulner/Marcella Garber 2, Genna Stetler 1.

Herington – Baylee Randall-Hurt/Riley Robinson 12, Addison Abell 8, McKenna Worlock/Sierra Cossart 4, Haylee Nichols/Addison Doering 3, Miley McClure/Atlee Smith 2, Sarai Auscherman 1.

BOYS: #3 ELL-SALINE 51, MINNEAPOLIS 22

In the night cap it was a completely different story for the Ell-Saline Cardinals as they raced out to a quick lead and never look back as they held the Minneapolis below 7 points in each of the 4 quarters.

The Cardinals actually got off to a slow start before turning it on in the first quarter, they still led after the 1st quarter 20-7.

Senior Reese Krone came alive in the 2nd quarter for the Cards as he would score 11 of his 15 in the period and Ell-Saline took a 36-11 lead into halftime.

Ell-Saline put things on cruise control in the 2nd half as none of the starters played at all in the 4th quarter and for most of the quarter it was JV players and the Cardinals still outscored the Lions 15-11 in the second half. Ell-Saline used a running clock in the 4th quarter to cruise to a 51-22 win.

Ell-Saline was led in scoring on the evening by Reese Krone who finished the night with a game high 15 points. Kas Kramer added 13 points for the Cardinals which included going 5 for 5 from the free throw line. Trey Williams dropped 12 including 2-3 pointers.

Owen Just who is standout scorer for Minneapolis was held to just a team high 8 points on the night as the Ell-Saline Cardinals defense would shut him down for the most part.

Ell-Saline moves to 2-0 on the season and will continue the Tri-County Classic this Friday as they travel to Belleville to take on the the #7 ranked team in 2A the Republic County Buffaloes. Minneapolis moves to 0-3 on the season and will take on Bennington Friday night in the Tri-County Classic.

CITY PLUMBING HEATING AND COOLING PLAYER OF THE GAME: Reese Krone (15 Points)

BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (0-3) –7 – 4 – 6 – 5 / 22

ELL-SALINE (2-0) – 20 – 16 – 12 – 3 / 51

Individual Scoring

Ell-Saline – Reese Krone 15, Kas Kramer 13, Trey Williams 12, Landon May/Collin Dent 4, Jaxsen Seed 3.

Herington – Owen Just 8, Max Helget 4, Aidan Hessman/Grant Rice/Oliver White/Kingston Deronnet 2, Tanner Norris/Ryan Lott 1.

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Minneapolis, MN

ICE Defends Augsburg Campus Arrest, Says Student Is Registered Sex Offender; School Wanted Warrant

Published

2 days ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

ICE Defends Augsburg Campus Arrest, Says Student Is Registered Sex Offender; School Wanted Warrant

ST. PAUL, MN — Federal immigration officers and Augsburg University officials offered sharply conflicting accounts this week after a weekend incident on campus ended with a student being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The incident happened Saturday in an Augsburg parking lot.

University leaders said the student had been followed in their vehicle back to campus by ICE agents before the detention occurred. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told FOX 9 that federal agents were involved in the incident and that there was a confrontation between agents and members of the campus community.

Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow told MPR News that ICE agents were “on campus property illegally” because they did not produce a warrant when faculty asked to see one.

“We’re in a situation where, despite the fact that it was illegal without a warrant, there was really no recourse for us,” Pribbenow said.

Federal officials strongly disputed Augsburg’s characterization. In a statement Monday, the Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents arrested Jesus Saucedo-Portillo, describing him as a “criminal illegal alien,” a registered sex offender, and someone previously arrested for driving while intoxicated.

ICE said he was taken into custody while getting into his vehicle.

According to DHS, a university administrator and campus security attempted to block the arrest and prevent ICE’s vehicle from leaving campus. The agency said its officers told school employees they had a warrant for Saucedo-Portillo and warned that obstructing their vehicle would amount to obstructing justice.

DHS said its officers “followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to clear the area” before leaving campus with the detained individual.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between federal immigration officers and local institutions under the Trump administration’s renewed deportation efforts.

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