People do love a label, right? Full-time mum, stay at home mum, working mum - chances are you fit into at least one of those 'categories' - because aren't we're ALL full-time mums? - or have been in more than one of them at different points in your life.

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But are they helpful at all? Or can they be both divisive and reductive?

We asked our mums what they thought about all this labelling business - and they had lots to say on the topic...

"We're all mums. That means 24/7, 365 days per year"

"We're all mums. That means 24/7, 365 days per year regardless of whether we get paid for our time in our role," agrees Lauren C.

"I'm a stay at home parent and I'm fine with that term and I think working mother is also fine - it merely describes where we are during the day."

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"Mums maybe use the term full-time mum as a defence mechanism when people ask them what they do"

Kathryn G has this pretty interesting take: "I think mums who stay at home with their children are put down as 'just' a mum maybe use [the term full-time mum] as a defence mechanism when people ask them what they do.

"We've all been on maternity leave and know that while we all love our kids, it can be hard work...

"I feel lucky in the current climate that I only need to work part-time and I enjoy the adult conversation but really I go to pay the bills.

"I know there are lots of mum who either have to work full time or want to and society makes them feel like they've abandoned their children to nursery etc and of course they are not any less of a mum.

"I just want to give all mums out there high 5s!"

"I don't like "mum" for all contexts"

"I don't mind SAHM although I'm technically a work at home mum and a student!" says Laura S. I don't like "mum" for all contexts as I am not just "mum", I am "Laura" too.

"While I am a mum 24/7 and 365, I need to acknowledge the rest of my life...too!" Fair point ?

"Yes you are a mum, but you are unemployed...you don't work"

"I don’t like either [SAHM or full-time mum]. We all know that being a mum is a full-time job in itself, but I see it as disrespectful to then treat it like an actual job when there are mums that have children and ALSO work a full-time job.

"I just see it as people that don't work and it's like they're being defensive about it when we didn't judge them in the first place lol.

"If you choose to stay at home and not work and your family can manage on that, good for you. But don't then make out WELL BEING A MUM IS A FULL TIME JOB SO YES I DO WORK.

"Yes you are a mum, but you are unemployed.

"That's just it, no judgement, you don't work."

"Stop labelling everything!"

And finally this from Hermione D: "I prefer NO TERMS! Stop trying to label everything! Just let people live!" ✊

What do you think?

Do you consider yourself a full-time mum, stay at home mum, or working mum?

Or do you just prefer "mum" - or maybe you'd rather ditch the labels altogether?

Tell us in the comments below or over on Facebook

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Authors

Tara BreathnachContent Editor and Social Media Producer

Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015

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