In Scotland, we often refer to soda as “juice” - or, if being specific, “fizzy juice”. This is different from fruit juice (such as fresh orange), diluting juice (pretty self-explanatory, but stuff like Ribena or Robinsons) and on occasion, “coo juice” (translation: cow juice = milk). The latter is usually in jest.

Absolutely. My boyfriend and I have something of an ‘open door’ to our neighbour’s two kids too - they live across the hall and often come to hang out. As long as their parents know where they are, they’re made welcome and we just leave our door on the snib so they can come and go. We enjoy spoiling them and playing…

My mum (and dad) were also great at providing a safe space for mine and my older sister’s friends. My sister’s in particular (they had greater need for it). I didn’t even fully realise that’s what they’d been doing until I was much older as they just quietly got on with it so I kinda took it for granted.