I love gaming.  My favourite games are R6, Rush and COD.  Gaming is fun and interesting.  It’s a way I can meet new people.

Sometimes when the stress of family separation becomes too much, I retreat into gaming.  Gaming helps me forget about everything for a while and connect with my mates.  This is where I have found friends that actually care and haven’t given up on me.  We check in on each other. 

When your parents separate, it’s a bit like having to play a new game, to survive and take care of yourself. 

On a console, the blue cross is the jump button.  Jumping out of the way is handy when mum gets mad at me.  I also used this button to jump in front of mum to stop dad from hurting her.  I would tell dad to go away and help mum.

The purple square is the reload button.  I use this to calm down and reset my mind.  Mum was the first to teach me to take deep breaths.

The green triangle is the button used to switch weapons.  I might use this to switch my moods.  If I was happy and someone was being a bully, my mood might switch and I might get mad at them.  If dad wouldn’t stop, I’d tell him to ‘shut up’ and get mad.  The reload button is useful to use after the switch button.

The orange circle is for crouching, laying down and hiding.  When dad would get mad at me, I’d go and hide.

Gaming requires a lot of tactical responses.  The L-1 & 2 and R-1 & 2 buttons help you employ tactics, take aim and move around.

Tactics are useful for surviving family separation too.  Some of the tactics I’ve employed are moving around to keep the energy levels up and getting food for myself.  It’s important to only use stamina when you need it and not deplete your resources.  If I run out of stamina, it takes food and water to reboost it. 

When I feel mad, it is the most draining on my stamina.  I have to lay down and employ the crouching button.

Special abilities are activated when L1 and R1 are hit at the same time.  My special ability is being helpful when mum is having a tough time.  I use this tactic to help her get through it. 
– Anonymous (aged 14)

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