As a mother, I understand how overwhelming it can be to impart all the information our children need to become good people. I myself sometimes feel even more overwhelmed when I realize that there is now one more thing to teach my children: how new laws and regulations surrounding bullying can impact their lives forever.

As a corporate consultant and a school and college anti-bullying expert, I work to keep everyone protected- the bullied, the bystanders and the bullies. Because the laws are changing all the time and the consequences are increasingly severe, my role is becoming ever more critical.

The line between bully and victim is a thin one, and things can happen in a second that can cause a lifetime of ramifications. Amidst the changing landscape, corporations as well as parents and educators need to understand that what they don’t know can be permanently detrimental.

The following points are not geared toward making sure your child doesn’t perpetuate a bullying incident. A big part of growing up is making decisions, and these guidelines will help you empower your child to make constructive decisions when it comes to acts of bullying.

5 Keys to Keep

Here are the top five things you can share with your child to ensure they don't get caught up in something bigger than anyone could anticipate.

1) Intentions are irrelevant; just because it was funny, everyone else was doing it or you’re sorry about it doesn’t mean it won’t escalate and/or that someone won’t get hurt.

2) The golden rule is a gauge; in a world where things go viral so quickly and your actions are catalogued and retained on the Internet, the golden rule should always be used as a guide. If you wouldn’t want something done to you or you wouldn’t want someone to see what you’ve written/posted, you probably shouldn’t do it, not only because it could physically harm you, but because it could impact your future in a heartbeat. Even a word or action that might be part of “accepted” culture, such as calling someone an insult surrounding gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity, can be understood as provocation or perpetuation of bullying.

3) When in doubt about something, ask an adult immediately. The ramifications of not doing so could last forever. Even if you think it's funny, or a harmless joke, it could have long lasting ramifications.

4) Technology can be used as a weapon; it is almost like playing with a gun. A joke or a prank can culminate in something as severe as loss of life.

5) What’s on the Internet is permanent and can never be taken back. Liking or responding to inappropriate comments, even if you think it’s defending yourself, can be looked at as aggressive actions that can define how you’re perceived decades later.

What you don’t know to tell your children can easily come back to haunt you and your family. Incidents can take on a life their own extremely quickly and situations that seemed harmless or even amusing have the ability to become viral because of the Internet and mobile phones. Understanding and communicating the following points to your child is critical to protect them from being caught up in a situation that could impact the rest of their life.