Anyone who knows me knows that I have opinions. On most topics. I have become better about informing myself before spouting my opinions, (it comes with age) but I still have them. On many occasion I can remember saying I would never, I have never, I never. Never is a dangerous word to use, it will almost always come back to haunt you.

There is nothing like having a kid to make you regret ever using the word never at all. I have undone so many of my nevers in the past 14 months of motherhood that I am considering dropping the word from my vocabulary entirely. There is just no such thing. Life is now full of possibly, maybe and just blatant, in-your-face, does it make my life easier? Then YES!

So what are these nevers that have been thrown out of the window? Well throughout the years they have been trivial things like I would never eat that, I would never wear that or biggies like I would never move to another country for a bloke…

Ehem, yes, moving swiftly on.

So here are my top 3 nevers. The tip of my never iceberg.

1. “I will never leave my kid outside sleeping in a pram while I sit inside. “

…said no Norwegian mother ever, because kids sleep so much better in the cold, all wrapped up in their sleeping bags and woolly clothes. I see your horrified faces, but ’tis true! I have left my child outside sleeping in a pram on many occasions. Once, in the UK, in my friend’s back garden, whilst everyone kept asking me if I was going to bring the baby inside yet? Nope. He is having a good old sleep and I am having a lovely break.

2. “I know they say it keeps you warm but I will never understand all this wool.”

Oh I get it! Nothing like sub-zero temperatures to make you get it. I get it so much that baby wears wool every day. Layer upon layer of wool. Never, is often said out of ignorance and, I admit, I was ignorant when it came to wool. Now I know. I still avoid it as much as possible and wear cotton layers underneath but there is a good deal of wool in my wardrobe these days. I am quite possibly mildly allergic to wool as it gives me the full-body itch but can tolerate it outdoors in the cold. Another never down.

I have even tried to knit my own woolly jumper. It has been several years in the making but I am not quite ready to give it up just yet.

3. “Two duvets on the bed instead of one double one? I will never do that.”

Two duvets is genius. Absolute genius. No more pulling and tugging of the one double duvet in the middle of the night. No cold body parts hanging outside the duvet. Just a bubble of warmth all cosy and snug. The key to a happy relationship I would even say. I still remember my puzzled look when I first saw the two duvet set-up on a trip to Germany. Now I am so indoctrinated that I am surprised when I have visitors who react the same way I once did.

Moral of the story is never is for young people. Now in my forties I am officially no longer a young person by anyone’s definition. So I am throwing away my never. Especially as I continue my adaptation to Norwegian ways with the additional responsibility of raising a kid here. Goodbye never. Hello hmm maybe,