“What I did not expect was the effect that the rite of passage would have on my wife, the mom, and me. The separation ceremony was one of the most moving experiences we have had since the birth of our children. It transformed the intellectual, ‘this kid is not a kid anymore’ into a real, gut-wrenching reality, ‘your child is gone, you will never see this child as a child again’. The intensity of the moment is still fresh in my heart.” – Participant Parent, COAG 2002
