A day in the life of Kate, an Occupational therapist in Edinburgh
I'll get up at...
7am
And then I...
Get the kids up, make everyone breakfast, fall over the cats, panic, drink tea, have a shower during which I may have to solve my daughter's latest existential crisis, get dressed, tell my son he'll have to suck the curry stains off his shirt because I've got no break snack for him, chase the children out for school, get on my bike and go to work for a bit. My partner is just getting up at this point because she starts work at noon.
My day will consist of...
Work (see clients and do admin), studying for a Master's (based at home, writing my dissertation), parenting (feeding everyone, managing my daughter's medication, existential crises and homework, talking about Pokemon with my son), volunteering to run a Woodcraft Folk kids' group (running a session on women farmers for IWD), hopefully knitting and catching up with some bad TV later. Cycling from place to place.
I'll look after...
My two kids (12 and 9), my clients at work (I'm an occupational therapist), and a couple of my daughter's friends who will be there after school because otherwise they wouldn't make it to Woodcraft Folk. My partner works til late on a Wednesday, so it's all on me until bedtime.
Other things I'll do in the day are...
At least one load of washing. Chat with my partner later on. Constantly try to tidy up. Sweep floors in a despairing way. Pair up socks; there are always more socks. Have at least one conversation with my children that makes me believe in humanity again, and one that makes me want to throw one or both out of the window. Possibly feel privileged to have a job where I get to share amazing older people's lives, or possibly feel frustrated that a mid-life career change has left me stuck on a crap wage taking orders from a man far less capable than me. Sort out the "household admin" - not so much the bills, but the school trip money and knowing who's got an appointment when and where, and what groceries we've nearly run out of, and how long it's been since each bed was changed, and which child doesn't eat which food (this week), and whether the cats need flea drops this week or next.
I'll go to bed after...
Putting a wash on, clearing the kitchen table, hopefully remembering to remove the curry-stained shirt from my son's room, watching Netflix in bed. About 11pm.
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