My long haul lifestyle at home is 100 times better than it ever was on short haul. Very little disruption, I’m home more than I’m away. Granted I’m away more nights but I’ve never crawled in to bed at 3am (at least not because of work) and generally it’s my kids that wake me up, not my alarm. The lifestyle is better for me (it really is a very personal thing).
Yes i I do miss out on some plays/ceremonies/swimming lessons/life events. But I’d have done that on shorthaul. I’m the only dad consistently at the school gates and get to enjoy life off the aircraft more than I ever did when I was at short haul.
But i also came to the realisation when when I switched from short to long that this is just a job. No more no less. It lets me live my life for me and my family in this industry I. The way I want. And I can’t remember the last time I had a CTOT.