There's a pretty standard list of questions that first-time parents have just before a baby is born -- and an endless supply of experts and books ready to feed you answers. The toddler years get a little more cloudy, though. Sometimes, you're not even sure what questions you should be asking. All of a sudden, though, you realize you need to start thinking about ditching the pacifier or transitioning your tot to a real bed.

Luckily, we give you a way to listen in on some of the frequent questions (and answers) from toddler parents. What worries have been on your mind? Share them in the comments section and post any tips you've learned along the way.

Once upon a time my before-bed reading consisted of the latest thriller or revisiting a classic from my bookshelf. These days, I usually am too tired after the kids go down to do much recreational reading. Thus, I like the books we read together to be good ones. In my opinion, the best bedtime stories for toddlers are those that lull them gently down while delighting their imaginations just enough to ensure they want to read that story again. Great illustrations that they can "read" themselves is also a must.

Share your favorite good night stories for children here.

We are in the midst of tooth horrors in the Ryan house. I have a 6-year-old who's got tooth number seven and eight ready to fall out (tooth fairy is going broke, thank you), a 5-year-old whose starting to feel his first baby teeth loosening, and then there's Little Guy, who woke up crying, "My teeth hurt!" all last week as those pesky back teeth started breaking through.

All the blood and tears has reminded me that we need to take care of those teeth -- after all we go through a lot of pain and effort to get them. I don't want to sit through cavity drilling or even tooth aches with them if I can help them avoid problems.

The bottom line is that we've upped our dental care regime and are doing more brushing and flossing.

Wish us luck!

I know from both research I've read and (mostly) from practical hands-on parenting that every toddler learns at her own rate and follows a unique developmental path (even if it is within the boundaries of what's typical for this age). Knowing that, though, doesn't' stop me from being repeatedly surprised at how different my children are from each other and how different their toddler years were.

There are natural differences in personality, of course, but there are also differences in the order in which they learned things or mastered a skill. My daughter, for instance, was speaking in full sentences (mostly giving orders) before 20 months. My oldest son lived on one word questions mostly until he was nearly three. However, he could identify shapes, colors, and letters before his second birthday. Meanwhile, my youngest son (at nearly two and a half) can count to 20 by ones and 50 by tens and fives, but everything in his world is blue and a circle.

All these early concepts are important, but your child doesn't need to master them right away. There's no correct order for them to learn these facts and skills. What is important is that they learn them in a natural setting -- while putting together a puzzle with you, reading snuggled in your lap, singing, or playing dress up.