INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Crosswalks and corners exist for a reason. Many adults put themselves at greater risk by scurrying across the street whenever they want. That’s a very dangerous lesson to show a child, so guide them to the crossing zones even if you have to go out of your way a little. Getting to rule the crosswalk lines is fun and makes you more visible to motorists.  Model good behavior by always using crosswalks yourself. If you witness someone else crossing improperly, remind your child that this is incorrect and dangerous. If you have younger children, hold their hand while you cross. Instruct older children to cross when you do. Crosswalk lights can be tricky for younger children. When they see the the blinking hand pop up, they may freeze in the middle of the street. That’s why you’re there to guide them. Play games with them such as “I Spy” or “Guess the meaning of the sign.” For example, you can ask, “What does this sign mean? Should we stop or walk?” Praise them for getting it right. “Look left, right, left.” Your parents probably hammered a similar song into your head when you were young. Before you step into the street, have them look for any danger. Continue looking and listening even after you begin crossing. Cars that appear distant may reach you faster than expected. Drivers make mistakes too, so it’s up to you and your child to protect yourself by waiting until the coast is clear before crossing.  Try asking the child what they should do during different situations. At a crosswalk, expect them to answer with something like “I stop and look both ways.” Eventually, they’ll be able to say this back in their own words, proving that they understand. Listening while crossing is almost as important as looking. Newer cars and hybrids can be very quiet. A road is an ever-changing place. Even a situation that appears safe can quickly develop into an accident. Have your child search out the eyes of drivers they approach. Drivers you look in the eye are more likely to stop. Your child will soon recognize drivers who aren’t paying attention. Some vehicles, such as those with tinted windows, make eye contact impossible, but it’s always worth trying. Anyone who has been in the presence of a young child knows how much they enjoy running ahead of you. Many children also lack the attention span required to get across the street promptly. At least until age six, lead them by the hand. Grab your teenager too when they’re too distracted to be street safe. This is a golden opportunity to let them decide when it’s safe to cross. Ask them “is it safe?” and don’t move until they say yes. This can also be helpful for developmentally disabled children. Besides driveways, parked cars are a leading cause of accidents. This sounds weird, but think about it. It’s very difficult to see someone when they come out from between two cars. Even adults make this mistake, but children are much smaller and harder to see. It’s very important your child knows to go to a street crossing! Never try to scare children with street dangers. Instead, calmly explain them so they learn the lessons rather than get distracted by your tone.

SUMMARY: Have children always cross at a crosswalk. Remind your child to stop and look both ways before crossing. Have children make eye contact with drivers while crossing. Hold a young child’s hand as they cross. Explain the danger of crossing between parked cars.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: All sheet music uses the same universal numbering for the fingers and thumb on each hand. If you memorize the number for each finger, you'll be able to read finger positioning notations.  The numbering starts with your thumb at number 1 and goes to your pinky finger at number 5. The left hand is a mirror image of the right hand, using the same numbers for the same fingers.

SUMMARY: Number your fingers.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A grand piano is long and low, which improves its sound over an upright but also causes it to take up a lot more floor space. For this reason, grand pianos are rarely seen in private homes. Grand pianos, like uprights, are divided by size into “petite” grand pianos, which can weigh as little as 500 pounds, on to standard grands, and finally “concert” grand pianos, the largest pianos of all, which can weigh as much as 1300 pounds and measure more than 9 feet (2.7 m) across. However, moving a grand piano of any size requires the same basic steps. As always, clearing the way and taking measurements are the first steps to a successful grand piano move.  Because of the grand piano's bulk, it is generally moved on-end, so double check that any doors you plan to move your piano through are tall enough to accommodate its front-to-back length, with several inches to spare. If the piano is too deep to fit through a door with several inches of clearance to spare, professional help will be required. This is where moving a grand piano becomes much more complicated than moving an upright.  The safest way to move a grand piano (and the way that professional movers do it) is to load it onto a rolling skid board, which is basically a load-bearing board on wheels. With as many people as possible on hand to assist you, lift the bass corner of the piano and unscrew or otherwise remove the leg there. Gently set the piano down and secure the removed leg in blankets; then, with the help of your crew, blanket and tape the body and remaining legs of the piano itself.  Equipment rental shops should be able to rent you a skid board if you don't own one. Be sure that the top of the piano is securely locked down, as well as the keyboard cover. Carefully lift the piano from the back end upward, while simultaneously lifting the keyboard end off the ground as evenly as possible.  Once the piano is balanced on the skid board, it can be moved by slowly pushing it from the rear end while pulling from the front end. Extra helpers should stand on either side of the piano to help keep it upright in case of bumps and wobbles.  The goal is to set the piano vertically on the skid board with the left side (bass side) down on the board, so that the treble side of the piano points skyward and the keyboard is vertical. Remember that the piano gets heavier toward the bass end, which means the center of balance is likely to be closer to that end than the other.

SUMMARY:
Know your piano. Plan your route. Prepare the piano. Move the piano.