Separating kittens from mom...please give advice

Hi everyone. This is my first post on this forum. I'm hoping someone will have some advice for me.

We have been feeding a stray cat for about a year. The cat showed up one day and took up housekeeping on our porch. She has always been nervous around humans, but she has warmed up a little and likes being petted if it's her choice...but she is still pretty wild.

Well, this cat had three kittens in our garage about ten weeks ago. We should have been picking them up consistantly, but mom is so protective it has been hard to get near them. As a result, they, too, are very leary of humans, with the exception of one. Mom and kittens are a very close little family.

We have homes for all the kittens. But it is breaking my heart to separate them from each other and their mom. I thought the time would come when mom would naturally push them away, but that hasn't happened.

So I have two questions:
Should I continue to stall with the kittens or separate them now. They are ten weeks. (The owners are getting anxious)
And, will these kittens ever be good house cats considering that they are pretty wild now?

It is best to go ahead and get them away from mom right now. The sooner they are in a home and getting used to people the better. Do not worry too much. Kittens and mothers are not really attached. They don't have the same attachment as people do.