Speaking of Twelve

Is there an instruction manual for this year?  Remember those 19 copies of "What to Expect When..." books we all got when we were preggers?  Is there one for twelve?  Just a basic survival guide for this year?  

Cause man, we're NOT having such a good year.

I won't itemize the list of recent frustrations, it would take way too long.  And yes, I remember twelve as being a not-so-good year for me either but it didn't seem like it was always the SAME EXACT ISSUE just a new week.  Maybe I'm wrong.  

The gifted class acronym is starting to be a cuss word in our house.  LM just can't get his mind around planning ahead or really making sure of something or even getting himself sort of organized.  I emailed his teacher tonight because the grading system leaves me wondering if my kid is doing okay or if we were crazy to admit him to this program to begin with.  Her comments reassure me that he's doing fine, but one in particular, namely, "Jacob is a very fine writer with certain idiosyncracies - that's normal although his are very particular!"  leaves me wondering.  Is that a compliment?  Is that supposed to leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling? 

Anyway.   If someone out there has a twelve year old, or perhaps an older child and they can share survival stories, help me out.  If you don't have a manual I can borrow, can we at least try for a two-fer deal on ebay?  

PULEEZE?!?!!