Boarding school - respectful but ?emotive question for parents

[TheLieInTheBitchNTheFloordrobe]

This is meant in a very respectful, genuine way, but I realise it may be emotive.

To parents whose children are full time boarders: do you have any difficult feelings about being separated from your children for so much of the time?

To adult children who were full time boarders: what was your experience? Do/did you have any negative emotions about it?

I boarded from age 7 and the only feeling I can compare it to is grief after someone has died. I was deeply depressed, distraught, isolated. This was before flexi boarding and mobile phones so we had no contact apart from letters and a call once a week.
It was one of the cruellest ways to treat children i have seen in the world, dressed up as social engineering. Figs to apron string cutting - it emotionally impaired many people I know (even if they didn’t realise it to adulthood or don’t realise it now.)
I would send my children at 16 if they wanted. Before that I have too much parenting I want to do.

Both my children full board/have full boarded since prep school. Everyone comments on what a close family we are even though their boarding schools have been no less than 3 hrs away and for senior school 8 hrs away. We chat all the time, family WhatsApp and try never to miss a match! It has been great for us as a family with DH and I both working full time, I actually have felt more involved in their lives than when they were at the local school. Yes they were young, but at the time it felt right and it worked. Would I do it again at such a young age? I don't know, I did miss them of course and there were lots of tears each time they left but they loved it and both are very committed to giving their children the same opportunities in the future.