I am a huge iPhone dork. I have loved the iPhone since it first came out a few years back.  What I do not love is Siri.  I find her completely unhelpful.  As a new mom, I need answers fast and Siri has not answered any of my questions lately.  Below is a sample of some of the questions I have asked Siri over the past six months.  Not one of these questions was answered.

• How many bowls of ice cream with bananas can a pregnant girl eat before she shows up on some sort of “My Strange Addiction” show?
• Siri, I feel really dumb.  Is it possible that this pregnancy has lowered my IQ?
• Is it really possible that I have this much love for someone who was born 10 minutes ago?
• What route home from hospital will ensure we do not get stuck around horrible drivers?
• Siri, we just got home.  What do we do with this baby now?
• When do I get time to shower?
• If my baby hears me curse, will her first word be a curse word? (In my defense, this was asked when we were stuck in a two hour long traffic jam.)
• What can I do to make sure that my baby will prefer Beatles over Bieber and Harper Lee over Honey Boo Boo?
• How much sleep does a human REALLY need to survive?

In all seriousness, I obviously knew that Siri could not answer these questions for me but as a new parent I had really hoped she would.  I am beginning to understand that there is no app or guidebook that will show me a way to be the best parent I can be.  There will be endless questions without solid answers. 

As a therapist, I have often told my clients that sometimes we have to live in the GREY AREA.  The grey area is where there is no road map or solid plan on what happens next.  This area is scary, thrilling and completely rewarding all at the same time. I just realized the GREY AREA is another phrase for parenthood.

Siri will never tell me the secret on how to be the World’s Greatest Mom or what exact steps I can take to make sure my baby will always be safe and well adjusted.  I am beginning to realize that all I can do is love my child, do the best I can do and NEVER lose my sense of humor!

KC is a Licensed Professional Counselor with experience working with victims of trauma, adults in crisis and adolescence suffering from substance abuse issues. She currently works as an EAP account manager.