Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, A New Day Pediatric Psychology

04/28/2026

PARENT REMINDERS:

Your child wants to make good choices.

Your child really loves you.

Your child does not enjoy having emotional meltdowns and tantrums.

Your children need your help to self-regulate before they can do it on their own.

Teach them the skills they need.

04/27/2026

Sometimes you don't need to correct the behavior at all.

Sometimes you just need to listen to the reason behind the behavior and meet the need.

All behavior communicates. Every behavior serves as a function to have a need met: attention, discomfort, loneliness.

If we are so quick to yell, punish, remove privileges and ignore our children, we might temporarily stop their behavior.

However, the likelihood of the behavior returning is very high.

Plus, it will likely return with a vengeance!

Why?

Because they didn't feel heard to begin with and the need was never met.

Always meet the need first.

If you’re not sure where to begin, our Team at A New Day offers parent coaching.

Call or text us at 210-816-4149.

04/27/2026

Last chance to register! Join us for DOers Dialogue this Tuesday, April 28th, and enjoy a light lunch and a meaningful discussion on building strong connections with our teens and tweens with pediatric psychologist, parent coach, author, and mom of two teens, Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart.

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or caregiver, gain empowerment at this year’s Doers Dialogue.

Click the link below to register:
https://bit.ly/4sm2aes

Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, A New Day Pediatric Psychology

04/26/2026

Have you started a bad habit with screens and your kids?

I get it. I've been there and did the same thing.

That's why we reset and re-evaluated screen use and the type of content they were watching.

Is it easy to reset?
Nope.

But, it makes such a difference.

Start with an honest conversation.
Ask them what they enjoy the most when they're on screens.
Listen out for what they value.
Discuss replacements based on what they say.

For example, if they like watching cooking shows, maybe look at replacing the viewing with actual cooking with you in the kitchen. Or, they can invite a friend and have a cooking party and a movie.

What are your thoughts on kids and screens?

Ready for more support as a parent? ⤵️

04/26/2026

04/24/2026

Never focus so much on changing your child's behavior that you forget to have a relationship with them.

I know. It's frustrating trying to raise an obedient and well-behaved child.

In other words, a perfect child.

One who listens when you ask them to do things, who eats their food without sighs or complaints, and even answers yes to everything you say...the perfect child.

I think we're missing the point of the parenting journey.

A big part of the journey is to raise a person who is respectful, kind, and a healthy, productive member of society.

If you have a child who is not obedient and misbehaving a lot, it doesn't mean you have failed as a parent.

Constant punishments and telling them how badly they have messed up leads to them eventually believing what you are expecting of them:

“If I'm always in trouble, being yelled at, and punished, then I must be a terrible kid and I should just live up to it.”

Let's change that narrative now.

Your child should hear and feel unconditional love from you.

Accept your kid as they are.

Our most important job as a parent is to be loving, while having a fulfilling and meaningful relationship with our child.

Your relationship with your child forms the foundation for all other relationships they will have in the future.

How do we do that?

We connect. Simply connect.

All other strategies work best coming from a foundation of connection.

04/23/2026

One of the ways anxiety shows up in kids and teens is through physical symptoms.

Things like headaches, backaches, stomachaches…

Unresolved and uncomfortable emotions are often projected onto the body and show up as a physical symptom or illness.

Procrastination is a behavioral sign of anxiety.

Irritability and agitation can be an emotional sign of anxiety.

Brain fog and forgetfulness can be cognitive signs of anxiety.

Yep...anxiety shows up in all kinds of ways:
Physical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive...

What question do you have about anxiety?

Ask below 👇🏾

Reach out to our Team at A New Day for parent coaching help and support for your kids/teens.

Call or text us at 210-816-4149.

04/22/2026

Children who demand attention and/or connection through dysregulated behavior are often met with parental hostility or non-responsiveness.

How can we change our approach in these situations?

Yelling, screaming, nagging haven't worked for you.

Instead, follow some of these tips ⤵️

Keep in mind these are all meant to help the child move from co-regulation (receiving assistance from a trusted other) to self-regulation (being able to manage big emotions with little to no help).

That takes time to learn.

Swipe Left 👈 to get 2 specific, highly effective strategies.

04/21/2026

Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart is not your typical parenting expert— she’s a straight-talking, no-drama psychologist, parent coach, and mom who understands what it’s like to be in the trenches with tweens and teens.

As a pediatric psychologist with over two decades of experience, she has helped countless families survive the chaos of adolescence with confidence, compassion, and a whole lot of humor.

Born and raised in the Caribbean on the island of St. Croix, Dr. Lockhart knows firsthand the power of cultural influences on parenting.

She blends her deep expertise with real-life insights, showing parents how to ditch the guilt, cut through the noise, and build unshakable relationships with their teens.

Whether she’s coaching overwhelmed parents, speaking on national stages, collaborating with brands, or sharing wisdom on social media, her mission is clear: helping parents truly see and love the teen they have—not the one they expected.

Dr. Lockhart is the founder of A New Day Pediatric Psychology in San Antonio, Texas.

When she’s not empowering parents, you’ll find her watching superhero movies, trying new hairstyles, traveling with her husband and kids, or perfecting the art of a well-timed mom joke (yes, dads aren’t the only ones who can do this).

04/21/2026

When parenting a highly sensitive child, your self-regulation helps them self-regulate.

From handling disappointment, to persisting on a challenging task, to initiating sleep, to potty training, and handling failure.

Being emotionally and behaviorally regulated is an important skill.

It is the ability to focus attention, control emotions, and manage behaviors.

You know what?

Being an adult doesn't automatically qualify you to be self-regulated.

It is something you need to practice over time.

It is also a skill you might have never developed as a child.

If you want your child to develop self-regulation, you must develop your own and help your child.

That's co-regulation.

What are ways you have learned or can learn to self-regulate?

Take Dr. Lockhart's class on Parenting the Highly Sensitive Child ⤵️

04/20/2026

Did you know that avoidance prolongs anxiety?

Yep.

Sitting with uncomfortable emotions is difficult..as a kid and as a parent.

How can you effectively coach your kids and teens through their anxiety?

These are the 5 steps I teach as a Parent Coach.

Sometimes you need a little more help when it comes to parenting and that's what I'm here for.

Parent coaching is about equipping parents with the skills they need to be more effective parents.

Get started with virtual parent coaching. My team and I at A New Day Pediatric Psychology are here to help.

We are able to help you in unique ways. Our team is made up of licensed professionals who have degrees, education, supervision, and experience in our fields.

All available virtually and in person.

Call or text us at 210-816-4149.

⤵️

04/19/2026

Practical anxiety strategy alert!

Teach your child Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).

Here's how you do it (do it with them too):

Goal: Tense and relax your muscles in each part of your body to increase body awareness and relax targeted muscles.

1. Have your child take note of where they are feeling the tension in their body.

2. Focus their attention there.

3. Tense that muscle while breathing in.

4. Relax that muscle while breathing out.

5. Move on to other surrounding muscles. Head to toe.

For example...If you’re feeling a stress headache, tense your shoulders and then relax.

Tense your eyes and then relax.

Tense your lips and then relax.

Tense your neck & shoulder blades...then relax.

Where do you feel your stress and tension? Tell us below 👇🏾