Quinn - driving me to drink

This was written a  few days ago, and things have already improved since... But I really feel like I am failing with Quinn. It's like we go 2 steps forward and 1-step back all the time.

I do have to acknowledge that he IS maturing and getting generally more responsible and mature. BUT he seems to not be able to manage to self-manage himself ENOUGH. I am thinking this is fairly normal for this age, with puberty and hormones etc etc clouding his brain..?? (IS IT??) Because he is driving me MAD.

I have been getting phone calls from the school about twice a week about him. It's not that he is naughty really, his actual behaviour is fine, but he has never done what he was supposed to. And/or doesn't have his diary with him, or his sport clothes, or his oral, or his project work, or, or or... you get the point. He'll often have told me he had no homework or had finished it though.THAT's my problem with him. It seems that he is really scatterbrained, can't remember things from one minute to the next and just can't organise his mind...

So on the bad side:

- He doesn't bother/forgets to do some stuff... like homework, bringing me his diary, packing his sport and lunch stuff (DESPITE me reminding him a few times!ARGH)

- Not giving me notices etc

- Also starting to back-chat big time. On Friday he was lamenting not having a cool big water-pistol for Scouts like the other kids have. I told him he would have if he didn't break everything he got. He countered that he doesn't break everything and I insisted he DOES either lose or break it and his retort was 'Maybe you just buy me cheap stuff!?' (Ouch)

But then on the good side:

- He spent ages preparing a really good oral on Cheetahs (NOT just Googled this time, but edited nicely)and with salient points highlighted and pertinent pictures, AND a nice amusing final slide about his crazy dog with a photo of Roxy.

- And he is brushing his teeth and putting on deodorant and getting dressed each morning without needing to be time managed and nagged (like he used to)

I don't know what to do with him, the other night I got so annoyed with him I actually wanted to stab him with a fork (hence that part in his Valentine's poem ;) ) and made him go eat dinner in the kitchen. He is not totally out of control, but it just feel slike he is not performing or trying hard enough to get a grip. He has now had detention 4 times this year and now has to go to Saturday detention. The deputy principal phoned me to say that in the whole of last year, ONE child had Saturday detention ONCE. And Quinn has managed to achieve this in the first month of the year!? I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I feel like we don't ever have time for fun and cuddling anymore either because everything is about preparing for the next reponsibility and scheduled event. 

I actually just want to throw my hands up and cry at this point. FML 

Update today: We have spent this week spending quality time together and REALLY focussing on work and getting on top of things. NO computer, games, friends or anything and I THINK it may be starting to work. Please hold thumbs that his brain turns back on and we can move past this. Please.