I don't remember well the moments of the play when I was very young but I remember that with the birth of my younger sisters I spent a lot of time playing with them. My sister Lucia was born when I was five years old, we soon became best friends and partner in crimes; we played together all the time. When I was eleven years old, my sister Sofia was born; we played together a bit, but not too much, because she was too young to play my games. Our mother played with us as much as she could and often differentiated our activities with great attention as we are of very different ages. At the weekend, also my father played with me, we liked wrestling and football and cycling. Consequently, the role of play was very important in my childhood to build interpersonal relationships with my two sisters and with my parents. When the weather was nice, we played in the garden; when it was cold or rainy, we played in the living room. My favourite game was hide and seek, I liked hiding and searching in the countryside. Consequently, the role of play was important in my childhood to explore the natural environment, I learnt a lot about the weather and the plants and the animals. 

Technology has brought such great benefits but also many negative effects.  Especially with "small technology" such as smartphones, tablets or computers.  Many young people spend many hours in front of these devices, with no time limit and this can cause problems with eyesight but also at a relational level.  However, it cannot be denied that during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, technology has proved to be fundamental, from the very youngest who attended school lessons to adults who worked with a new modality, Smartworking. Thus it was possible to maintain relationships with people despite the lockdown, to continue as much as possible with the school programs and not to completely interrupt the world of work.

Fortunately, I too was able to stay up to date and follow my university lectures and take the related exams. This was possible only because I have up-to-date technological tools.  Also for this reason today I really spend a lot of time on my computer or smartphone.  I think that without a smartphone it is now difficult to be able to work or study, or even keep in touch over long distances. In fact, thanks to technology, I keep in touch with my friends and relatives even during lockdowns when we cannot meet in real life. 

In conclusion, today we can consider technology "a double-edged sword". The solution is using common sense and remember that real life is not on a screen.