Sarah Jessica Parker felt she didn't deserve award

Sarah Jessica Parker "begged" for someone more "deserving" to win an Outstanding mother Award.

The 'Sex and the City' actress - who has son James, 13, and daughters Marion and Tabitha, six, with husband Matthew Broderick - was one of four women honoured at the 38th Annual Outstanding Mother Awards in New York on Thursday (05.05.16) for their efforts at balancing work and parenting, and she admitted she was stunned when she first heard she had won the accolade.

She said: "I begged the editor and the people in charge to reconsider and find another mother who was more ."

The 51-year-old actress dedicated her award to the millions of mothers who don't have the support she has or careers that mean they can pick and choose when and where to work.

She said: "You are the heroes and I accept this on your behalf.

"You are the outstanding mothers of this year, of last year and next year, and I thank you for allowing me to honour them."

And the 'I Don't Know How She Does It' actress was also candid on what she feels are her shortcomings as a parent.

She told the assembled guests at The Pierre Hotel: "I in no way think this lovely gesture is based on merit. So I will bear all.

"[As a mother], I fear that I am impatient, exacting and, often on a set, in a meeting, or occupied by my Blackberry when I should be picking up or dropping off at school, making dinner, depositing a child or even hosting a play date.

"Chaperoning trips is often out of the question due to my schedule [but] I aim for at least one [trip] a year per child.

"I have three children, so I do the math. I happily visit Ellis Island or the Brooklyn Bridge or the kitchen of a restaurant holding the soft and sweaty hands of six year olds or I try to wrangle a group of 12 year olds without embarrassing my own 12 year old [in order to] lessen the guilt.

"I'm often out of the country or in a different time zone and that Blackberry I mentioned doesn't have an option for Facetime. I worry, all the time, about my children and I'm always concerned about their well-being.(sic)"

As well as the actress, the National Mother's Day Committee also recognised the efforts of Gemma Lionello, the executive vice president, general merchandise manager of beauty at Nordstrom; Louise Camuto, chief creative officer of Camuto Group; and inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano, whose story was told in the Jennifer Lawrence-starring movie 'Joy'.

The event raised over $500,000 for Save the Children US.