While Mother’s Day is obviously a special day set aside to honor moms from all walks of life, here at Activity Hero we want to applaud the efforts of motherhood every single day of the year. So today we take a look at mothers as diverse as their children— celebrity moms, homemakers, and single mothers– each is famous in the eyes of their children and the others they touch around them.

Abraham Lincoln once said of his mother Nancy, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Credited by historians as the primary educator of the president’s young years, as well as being responsible for the honest, loving personality he was consistently recognized for throughout his life. She passed away when the younger Lincoln was only 9-years-old, and the young boy helped build her coffin. While Lincoln regularly credited his values and success to his mother, other celebrities have followed suit in the centuries after.

Tom Cruise is famous for bringing his mother to awards ceremonies and other events, either as a guest or as his date. Their close relationship is evident to the media, and they share a winning smile. Supportive moms are historical, like Albert Einstein’s mother whom patiently homeschooled him for years to help him through academic hindrances like dyslexia. She likely did this out of love for her child, not once thinking he would be heralded as a famous genius in adulthood.

Then, of course there are moms who are themselves popular in the public eye; juggling both career and motherhood…and winning at it thanks to the awesome legacy their own mother left behind. Actress Felicity Huffman is quoted as saying, “My mom gave me the gift of fun and pleasure — she showed me how to enjoy every moment. Another great gift: She was honest about how tough motherhood can be. I can always call her and say, ‘It’s so hard!’ and not feel bad about it.”

And, as mothers all around the world can attest to, parenting IS hard. Perhaps one of the most difficult things a woman will ever do in her life – which is exactly why every mom deserves red carpet fanfare. Of course, few actually ever receive such accolades.

In a way though, everyday moms are the true heroes. The ones who balances all that society expects of her – clean, respectable, smart and talented children; a perfectly coifed house; fashionable clothing and hair; a continually attractive body; a great cook; a wonderful wife; a valuable asset to a company. While some of these expectations may seem outdated or unfair, almost any woman with children can attest to feeling each of these pressures at least once in their motherhood career – likely much more than that.

You may not be raising a movie star or future Nobel Prize winner, but what you do every day matters, from finding the missing soccer cleat to tucking your youngsters in at night (and walking back to bed, re-tucking in, getting that glass of water, tucking in again….). You are leaving your own legacy behind for future generations – your star power parenting of today will affect the way your children raise their children and beyond. You set the tone for decades of happy, confident children. And that, in reality, is what deserves the biggest prize.

We at Activity Hero salute moms all over the nation as we gear up for Mother’s Day this Sunday. Though we are a young company, we strive to make this appreciation apparent in everything we do, be it our great customer service and activity listings to just taking the time to recognize these every day heroes.

Activity Hero will be contributing to a local bay area charity that serves low-income mothers struggling to make their children’s dreams come true each and every day. We dedicate this donation in honor of all the moms out there – famous or not – who have never given up on taking the time to be a great example of motherhood.