Being a parent sometimes sucks

I think my son must have had a hormone surge recently because he's become unbearable. In the last week or so, he's taken being an aggravating little shit-head from an amateur hobby to professional level. He's 11 years old, so it's about the right time for him to get a hormone surge, but ACK! I'll be lucky to live through it!

This morning we were running a bit late so I said I'd sign his planner in the car when we got to school. He refused to think that maybe that meant I wanted him to get his planner out on the way to school, not before he got in the car, not shoving his backpack in the back seat and getting it out after we got to school, but sitting down, strapping in, and getting his planner out while we drove. And no, I'm not finding the page and signing it WHILE I'M DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE!

Then started the fight that I'm still, 6 hours later, a little bit pissy over. I asked him to turn to last Friday, the day I had to sign off, so that when we got to school it would be easy to sign. He screamed at me that he didn't know what today was. October? So he turns to the monthly calendar for October, which, of course, has today blank because it's September 29. So he starts raving that today doesn't exist so he doesn't have to do anything. ACK!

We have gone over and over and over how to use his planner. Turn down the corners of the pages at the end of the week to make it easy to find the week we're in. Does he listen? Does he pay attention? Does he attempt to put any modicum of effort to anything he ever does? No, of course not! It's all too freaking hard!

Eventually, he got to the right page, and low and behold, there's a note that he's supposed to have a binder with brads today. He does not have a binder with brads today. Who's fault is it? MINE! It's all my fault because I'm a horrible mother and I don't love him.

Then, he puts his bloody planner back in his bag. We're still driving to school! I haven't signed the stupid thing! So I tell him to get it back out, open to the correct page, and hold it! He starts at the back of the book, in July, flipping one page at a time.

"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Looking for October," seriously, I would really appreciate a lot less attitude.
"Remember what I just said about the folded down pages?" I didn't even bother to remind him that it's still September. But we're finally parked in front of the school, so I take his planner and show him what I mean by turning to the first page without a folded down corner- again. I would put money on him still not "being able" to do it.

One good thing this morning: a lot of people in our neighborhood decorated for Halloween this weekend. I'm not allowed to start until the first- well, start in earnest. Steve doesn't seem to mind a few skulls and ghosts creeping into our lounge decor.