Your child's school has a bullying prevention policy, but if you have never read it, you are not alone, and that gap could be costing your child the protection they deserve.

Most parents show up to the school office ready to fight for their child without knowing the one tool that gives their words real power: the policy. When you know what is in that document, you stop being a worried parent in a waiting room and you become an informed advocate at the table. And there is a big difference between the two.

Here are five things every parent needs to know about their school's bullying prevention policy, and why knowing them changes everything.

1. How Your School Defines Bullying

Not every conflict between kids is bullying. Schools use a specific definition, and that definition matters more than you think.

Bullying typically involves three elements: repeated behavior, a power imbalance, and intentional harm. If what your child is experiencing meets that definition, it triggers a ...