12 year old boy - comparison / advice

[AFOS11]

I have a 12 year old SS who lives with us. I'm struggling to differentiate between what is boy behaviour / 12 year old behaviour / his upbringing (he lived with his mum until he was 11) and / his personality.

He is doing things which anger me so much and I don't know if they are normal (still not acceptable but at least I'm not alone) or not. He is a good boy and very loving 80% of the time. It is that 20% which frustrates and angers me and I need support of you lovely ladies!

If anyone would be willing to share stories / examples of good and behaviour and any tips on coping with it I would appreciate it.

I also have two young children (who he is brilliant with mostly) and therefore I don't have any mum friends with children his age.

Thank you in advance.

12 year olds are a funny bunch

Very much children but big enough that you can't pin them down to wash/clean teeth etc

Several that age that I know have been refused orthodontic treatment until they get better at teeth cleaning, think cans of body spray replaces the need for showers and have to wade through piles of dirty clothes on the floor before declaring that they have nothing to wear

They lose the ability to see shades if grey, everything is black and white and they are very self centred

They grow out of it most of them anyway