Being a mum IS a full-time job, it has emerged - after a study found the average mother devotes a staggering 57 hours a week to tasks such as cooking, cleaning, washing and playing nurse to the family. The research found that typically a mum carries out 34 tasks per day, a grand total of 238 each week.

A hardy three quarters of the 2,000 mums polled worked at least in a part-time capacity, doing an average of 24 hours of paid work a week on top of their role as a mum- revealing that many are putting in an 81 hour week for the family.

The poll found more than 80% of mums felt raising children was undoubtedly a full-time job in itself, even admitting their role as a mum was more stressful and demanding than their paid job.

Juggling everything for the children and managing her own working life means the typical mum says she doesn't get to sit down and properly relax until 8.30pm.

The study also found that mums take their role very seriously - a third of those polled described themselves as overprotective of their children.

TOP 40 JOBS MUMS DO EACH DAY

1. Wake the children/child up
2. Serve dinner
3. Wipe down the kitchen sides
4. Make beds
5. Clean the kitchen
6. Put a load of washing on
7. Make breakfast for everyone
8. Pack dishwasher or wash up
9. Get child/children to brush teeth
10. Hang out a load of washing
11. Get the children to get ready for bed
12. Pack up the lunch boxes
13. Help child/children with hair
14. Get the children to do their teeth before bed
15. Vacuum
16. Get child/children dressed
17. Check for any school paperwork
18. Remind family of the day's appointments/clubs
19. Get the children to have a bath
20. Take child/children to school in the morning
21. Put shoes and coats away
22. Read with each child
23. Lay out school uniform and shoes
24. Tidy up the toys from that day
25. Unpack and wash lunch boxes
26. Address any homework that needs doing that evening
27. Pick child/children up from school at the end of their day
28. Feed the pets
29. Pack child/children's school bags
30. Pack bag for work
31. Write in the children's homework books
32. Put on the slow cooker/defrost something for tea
33. Remind the children about good behaviour for the day
34. Prepare an after school snack
35. Ferry child/children to appropriate clubs
36. Unpack the dishwasher from the morning
37. Prepare sandwiches for the lunchboxes the following day
38. Split up any arguments
39. Rinse out water bottles
40. Test children on homework in the car on way to school