I often forget how much my parents do for me.

On top of working countless hours five days a week, my mom accompanies me to all of my activities whether that be going to volleyball practice or going to the mall on a Sunday afternoon. My dad works out of town and flies home every weekend just to spend his extra time with me.

So, when my parents asked me if I wished to celebrate my 16th birthday with a lavish party and multiple-digit expenditures, I declined not because of my reluctance to throw one but because of my appreciation for all that I have already.

A typical day for me starts off a little like this. 6:30 a.m. My alarm clock goes off to the harmonious voices of the Script’s “For the First Time.” At that moment, however, I hit the snooze button, hoping I have turned it off for the last time. I finally lug myself out of bed by 7 a.m. and after preparing myself for school, I find breakfast and a warm cup of green tea awaiting me at the kitchen table.

I then go to school and attend my classes and spend time with my friends. It’s pretty routine. When I climb into the car after a long day, there will be chopped fruit that my mom had prepared for me in case I’m hungry or occasionally there will be her lunch that she hadn’t eaten in case I’m starving.

With just my mom and me in the house on the weekdays, we accompany each other in everything. When it’s 9 p.m. and we forget to pick up the mail, we’ll go together to overcome our fear of the dark. When it’s 10 p.m. and she struggles to check her email due to the superfluous number of pop up ads, I’ll take a break from my studies and check it for her. When it’s 11 p.m. and I’m not close to finishing homework, she’ll make me a cup of coffee to help me last throughout the rest of the night.

My dad, the more reserved type, expresses his love implicitly. When he comes home on Friday nights, he’ll ask if my printer has run out of ink (which it does often) and offers to replace it for me. He’ll ask if I’ve splurged this past week and offers to transfer more money onto my debit card. He’ll ask, while going through the Costco coupon book, if I need specific items and regardless of my response, buys them anyways thinking that sometime in the future they’ll be handy.

Eleven-year-old me would have begun planning a sweet 16 bash immediately after the topic was brought up. But in retrospect, the only plausible way to thank my parents is to spend my special day with them.

So, my “sweet 16” is in two days, and how will I celebrate it? By sleeping until 10 a.m. in the warm solace of my bed, by eating brunch with my parents at our favorite café, and by shopping with my mom in downtown Los Gatos (refer to the review on boutiques in the Lifestyle section – trust me, there are some pretty unique stores out there).