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My Occupational Identity
- 1. ARTIST Art is the longest running constant chosen occupation I have in my life. The little scribbles to the left are part of a shoe box lid that my mother saved from when I was 18 months old. Art has run through my life in all my roles and continues to do so, even now during the course of studying occupational therapy.
- 2. DAUGHTER The roles have reversed in our parent/child relationship, as my parents get older. My relationship with them has gone from one of dependence, to now helping them with transportation, food preparation, shopping. We also meet for meals, movies, outings, companionship. So simply, I am now doing some of the occupations that they once did for me and these occupations will become more varied and frequent as they age.
- 3. MOTHER There are so many occupations within this one role… carer, cook, cleaner, chauffeur, nurse, coach, sports spectator, baker, costume maker, entertainer, referee, negotiator, birthday party organiser, homework helper, photographer (there were very few photos with me and the kids together!) For three years I was parenting by myself until Harry joined us and our son was born. The experience of shared parenting was different but the same occupations still applied.
- 4. FRIEND The occupations involved with friendship are wide and varied and forever evolving. My friendship occupations have included travelling companion, drinking buddy, child rearing support, confidante, concert companion, cook, baker. I have included my husband in this, rather than me being a dutiful wife!
- 5. TRAVELLER Years spent overseas allowed me time to see quite a bit of Europe. But in order to afford to do this occupation I had to take up another! I nannied for two families, one in England and the other in Ireland.
- 6. LOVER OF 80’S FILMS/MUSIC Despite being born in the early 70’s, I feel I ‘grew up’ in the 1980’s. My identity has been shaped by this decade. My music and movie preferences still lay here. I have now inflicted my love of the 80’s onto my daughter! Image courtesy of cuwait.com
- 7. RENOVATOR Another regular occupation I have had in my life over the last 15 years is renovation. Sometimes this is as simple as painting a piece of furniture, a room, making new curtains, or more recently, dismembering half of our house, and with the help of a builder, reconfiguring it, then decorating.
- 8. PET OWNER Having always been a cat person, we converted to dog people a few years ago, due to begging from children. The occupations involved with this are exercising Stella, feeding, grooming, and picking up her deposits. These tasks are shared amongst the family…some more than others!
- 9. MURALIST I see my mural work quite separate from my art work. Murals for me, are to transform a (generally public) space by creating a scene on a wall or structure and the images or subject matter are rarely of my choosing. This occupation includes researching, planning, negotiating, and painting. I am employed by a variety of people to perform this occupation.
- 10. STUDENT Second time around for me this time as I study Occupational Therapy. I graduated 20 years ago with a Fine Arts degree. Completely different experience this time as I am in a different lifestage, have a different focus and am studying an entirely different discipline. No copious amounts of drinking or couch burning for me these days.