4 good New Year's resolution ideas for teenagers

The start of a new year is a great time for resolutions, no matter one’s age. If you have a teenager, here are 4 ideas for New Year’s resolutions that they could consider to bring more happiness into their life.

A great way for teenagers to enjoy reading that's not for school is to start a new series geared toward their age group. You can help them search online or in a bookstore to find a good series for young adults matched to their interests. If they find a series they love, they won't need any extra encouragement to read in their free time.

Many teenagers get caught up in school, extracurricular activities and socializing in familiar circles. A great way to enrich a teenager's life is to encourage them to participate in volunteer work. Help your teen find a place to volunteer in town – whether it's building houses for families in need or reading to underprivileged children – that will broaden their perspective and expose them to new experiences. Volunteering and doing community service are also great ways to build their resume before pursuing further studies or applying for jobs.

If there has been one particular class or subject your teen has struggled in, help them resolve to improve their performance in the new year. In order to stick to this resolution, consider hiring a tutor or encouraging your teen to spend extra time devoted to doing work for the particular class or subject. Help them to set a concrete goal, like raising the grade by a letter or bringing their average up by 5 points, and encourage your teenager to talk to their teacher about tangible ways they can make improvements.

It's easy for many teenagers to make friends in their own small community or high school. However, making friends outside of a small community is a great way to expand and enrich a teenager's life. Help your teenager meet new friends by encouraging them to try a team sport, a new hobby or a different community organization in the new year.

With encouragement and support, you can help your teenager set realistic New Year's resolutions built around a positive attitude and optimism for the year ahead.