3 Ways Meditation Helps Decrease Bullying In Schools

Bullying is an epidemic in schools, with children causing their peers to feel isolated and insecure. What interventions stop bullying? With anti-bullying movements, schools are implementing emotional regulation techniques to help kids who bully be kinder to each other. One practice that can help students is meditation.

Common Causes of Bullying

Bullying is any action meant to intimidate, coerce or harm another person. For kids in school, their developing minds and exposure to various social situations can lead to harmful behaviors.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of labeling kids who bully other kids as “bad kids,” but the issue is much more complex. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services identified four key areas that can influence bullying behaviors.

Familial Relations

Kids who bully may witness or experience bullying and abuse in the ホーム. They might not receive emotional support from their caregivers or see positive coping mechanisms. Children who bully might be used to getting whatever they want at home or have to abide by authoritarian rules.

Peer Relations

Some kids bully because they feel insecure and strive to maintain a position of power or status in their social group. Fear of loneliness can lead to children using bullying tactics to prevent others from entering their friend group so the new person won’t interfere with the group dynamic.

Emotional Misunderstandings

Improper emotional education and understanding can contribute to bullying behaviors. Kids who bully may be bullying victims but do not know how to navigate the situation. They may misplace their anger or frustration about the case by bullying others. Another cause of bullying is that the child doesn’t understand how to handle social situations and doesn’t understand other children’s emotions.

School Impacts

Some kids bully because they know they can. If a school doesn’t correctly resolve bullying, it can create a negative social culture where kids feel the behavior is acceptable or just a normal part of navigating school. If other students bully, another child might choose to act similarly so they can fit in.

How Meditation Can Help

While many consider meditation an adult practice, it can also benefit kids. Research shows that kids who meditate have less stress, are more focused and better able to handle social situations. Here are three ways meditation can decrease school bullying.

1. Encourages Mindfulness

Meditation focuses on breathwork, and mindfulness meditation can help kids focus on what’s happening. When kids can focus on a class, extracurricular or game, their minds are less likely to wander towards negative situations that occurred or may have happened.

Insecurity is a common contributor to bullying, and staying mindful can help ward off intrusive thoughts that can lead to inappropriate actions.

2. Calms the Body

Focusing their mind and controlling their breathing helps kids settle their nervous system in times of stress and anger. They’ll redirect their harmful thoughts and act positively toward their peers. Regular meditation also contributes to better sleep, which can reduce メンタルヘルス symptoms.

3. Helps Emotional Regulation

Meditation can help kids process and cope with their emotions more positively. Violent actions and words associated with bullying often come from impulsive moments of uncontrolled emotion. Teaching kids to meditate allows them to pause and center themselves before they act. They can use it to release anger, reframe situations and find a better solution.

Teaching Meditation to Students

It’s important to meet kids at their level when teaching meditation. Having children stay still or quiet longer than they can handle can increase stress. Meditation in school doesn’t need to be spiritual. It can be a secular way to encourage calmness and empathy among peers. Here are a few options for teaching the practice.

Belly Balloons

It is an excellent way to introduce meditation to little ones. The first step is to teach diaphragmatic breathing or “belly breaths.” Have them breathe deep, filling their stomach area–not just their chest.

For this meditation, have them imagine a balloon. It can be any shape, color or size they prefer. They can imagine their belly is the balloon and take a deep breath to fill it. You can have them take one or more deep belly breaths to fill their balloon, and you might encourage them to spread out their arms to expand the balloon wiser.

At the end of the meditation, have them touch their bellies to “pop” their balloon and let all their air out.

This meditation is a great way to get young ones to calm their bodies and boost their mood. You’re sure to get some giggles when the balloons “pop.”

Body Scan

This meditation is an excellent technique for understanding emotional responses and managing anxiety. It’s for older kids and young adults who are aware of their bodies and can focus for a few minutes.

Have them find a calm, safe space and close their eyes. Have them think of the top of their head or the bottom of their feet before mentally scanning their body, focusing on how each part feels.

They can identify where they hold their negative emotions and assure themselves they are alright. When kids become more aware of their bodies, those who bully can redirect their thoughts from harassing a peer to caring for themselves.

Many apps and videos can guide students through their body scans. Consider having them download one onto their computers to use as needed.

Grounding

Grounding is a great meditation technique for older elementary, middle and high school students. They can do it almost anywhere and anytime, making it a versatile skill.

When students feel the urge to bully, have them redirect their minds by thinking of something they can see, hear, feel, taste and smell. Grounding can remove them from a cycle of negative thoughts and refocus their brain on what they should be doing now.

This meditation technique engages their senses, helping them refocus on something positive and appreciate what’s happening around them.

Using Meditation to Help Bullying

Bullying is a problem across the country. When educators introduce techniques like meditation, we can help students better cope with their feelings and self-expression.