Anyone who thinks boarding *is* a good thing?

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Please, if you're against boarding don't reply, I've seen lots of arguments why people dislike it and I can see why, but would rather not have this turn into a bunfight.

I personally think it can be a brilliant opportunity, but would like to hear others opinions

Although some of our daughters did attend the home language school in the country I currently work and live in, neither we as parents nor our daughters were happy with the school. For various reasons which we could not influence the home language standards of the school were far removed from curriculum standards. As a result I ended up having to tutor my children, just to make sure they mastered the grammar and writing of our rather complicated home language. Due to my work this would obviously take place in the evenings and over the weekends, in other words at times which could have been spent doing much more fun activities together.
Apart from the lacking standards we also found that the attitude of the majority of the teachers - when it came to being consistent and insisting on what we consider to be a minimum standard of discipline and respectful behaviour - were sadly lacking. In fact, we very often felt that their very often much too lenient attitude thwarted the values we had instilled in our children. Then again I suppose in our family do live by somewhat Victorian values.
At age 10 the younger girls, one after the other, opted for a small boarding school in our West European home country. The school is a perfect fit with a strong focus on classic standards of creative and performing arts within a genuinely happy, caring but also disciplined environment in which smartphones are forbidden. With my partner and I either staggering our work leave or taking leave at the same time, we then really have the time to focus on family life when the girls travel to my country of work in the school holidays and at midterm. Since the move to this country our girls are truly thriving and have never been happier.
Our older daughter who chose to board at 14 just before our move is equally happy at her school and the overall balance between boarding and family life.
As much as we miss our daughters and they us, boarding has not changed our relationship. In fact I would say it has made it even better and stronger. Neither side would change anything at the moment.
I fully second CherryPavlova's view.

My dad boarded from 7, and hated it until he was about 14, when he really started enjoying it.

My cousin (now 20) boarded from 11, and on the whole really enjoyed it, but her home life was pretty crap and she has an awful relationship with her mum, so perhaps that wasn't surprising. The issue arises for girls especially i think when there's drama/friendship fallouts and theyre all on top of each other 24/7

I boarded from 12 along with many other expat brats. I figure I'd have been a screwed-up teenager anywhere and it was a better place than many. I made good friends and also spent many holidays at their homes, which wouldn't really have been an option if I'd been expected to go home each night.

Quite a few girls had fees paid by grandparents or other family, to help keep them away from an abusive family member. I remember two girls always crying before the end of term because they'd have to go back and face abuse from much older brothers/stepfather. Nowadays I'd hope the kids would be kept safe in other ways. On the whole, those with functional supportive families thrived and the others didn't cope with life so well, with the school being a very small factor.