About the Conference

The Raising Wisconsin’s Children Conference is a free, online learning event for parents, teachers, and caregivers of children providing supportive, practical parenting and child development information. Join us in 2025 to unlock the power of social and emotional skills in children and teens!

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Speakers and Schedule

All sessions are virtual over Zoom. There will be 15 minute breaks between each session. Wisconsin Registry information coming soon for early care and education professionals!

Raising Wisconsin’s Children Conference 2025

8:30 AM | Early Experiences Elevate Everything: Early Brain And Child Development And The Future Of Society
Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD

Dr. Navsaria will discuss the critical importance of the first thousand days of life and the key role human relationships and interactions play in that time period. The concepts of toxic stress and how early adversity leads to lifelong issues will be reviewed, with practical examples and discussion of research which highlights these areas. Broad policy and programmatic principles that may help address the issue will also be discussed, providing a practical framework for those who work with children and families.

**This session is approved by the Wisconsin Registry for 1 hour of continuing education for early childhood professionals.

9:45 AM | Mindfulness and Compassion for Well-Being
Larissa Duncan, PhD

Mindfulness and compassion/self-compassion are powerful tools for supporting healthy child and family development. The more complex the struggles children and families are facing, the more healthy coping strategies are needed. This session will provide an overview of the science behind these approaches, as well as some brief experiential practices to support parents/caregivers and childcare professionals – both for ourselves and for implementing as supports for the children and families in our care. Our discussion and practice will go beyond mindfulness and compassion as self-care to consider what true “community care” looks like in practice.

**This session is approved by the Wisconsin Registry for 1 hour of continuing education for early childhood professionals.

11:00 AM | Navigating Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood with Grace & Respect
Laura Froyen, PhD

This presentation offers practical strategies for understanding and responding to young children’s difficult behaviors with empathy and understanding. We’ll explore tools for setting and holding clear, healthy boundaries that prioritize connection, helping caregivers create a more peaceful, cooperative home. Attendees will leave empowered to handle challenging moments with confidence and deepen their bond with the children in their care.

**This session is approved by the Wisconsin Registry for 1 hour of continuing education for early childhood professionals.

12:00 to 1:00 PM | Lunch Break

1:00 PM | Five Critical Conversations Necessary to Support Children’s Transition to Kindergarten
Michelle Sands, PhD

The transition to kindergarten occurs during a critical time in a child’s development and can have long-term academic and social effects. To ensure every child’s smooth transition to kindergarten, intentional communication between families, preschool teachers/child care providers, and elementary school staff is essential. During this presentation, families and professionals will be encouraged to acknowledge the interpersonal partnerships they have with one another and engage in five critical conversations before a child begins kindergarten.

**This session is approved by the Wisconsin Registry for 1 hour of continuing education for early childhood professionals.

2:15 PM | A Parent’s Guide to Treating Childhood Anxiety and OCD
Stephen Whiteside, PhD, LP

Parenting can be overwhelming when a child is struggling with an anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and finding help can be just as hard. This presentation will help parents and other caregivers understand what anxiety is and how to recognize when it becomes a problem, explain why children need to face their fears to overcome them, and introduces them to exposure therapy and its practical application. Examples and techniques will cover the most common forms of anxiety, including social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, specific phobias, panic attacks, and OCD. Parents will learn about strategies they can apply at home, how to recognize whether their child is receiving the best treatment, and resources for further support.

3:30 PM | Raising Resilient Teenagers: Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Family Adversity
Amanda Morris, PhD

We all want to help teenagers be resilient. This can be challenging given the world we live in today, especially when we have our own histories of adversity. In this presentation, Dr. Morris will discuss steps to breaking the intergenerational cycle of adversity and how to promote Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACEs) to help adolescents survive and thrive in today’s world.

4:30 PM | Conclusion

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Sponsors

Special thanks to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Office of Child Care and Family Resources and the Mayo Clinic Health System for co-sponsoring this event! We also thank our many promotional partners.

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FAQ

Will the conference be recorded? Yes, all sessions will be available as recordings for a month after the conference. To access the recordings you must register. Recording information will be sent to all registrants after the conference.

Will there be closed captions? Yes, the live conference and our recorded videos will have English closed captions.

Can I get language or other communicative accommodations? To request an interpreter, materials in an alternative language or format, or other services to make this event more accessible, please contact Lindsay Weymouth at families@extension.wisc.edu or 608-265-5785 by January 6th, 2025. There’s no added cost to you for these services.

Will Wisconsin Registry credits be available for early care and education professionals? Yes! Please see the above schedule for sessions that are approved for continuing education.