bb,as a newbie one of the first things I learned was to take the kit destructions with a pinch of salt. Too often they are inadequate (as when they instruct the addition of 'sugar' without advising which type), at worst they can be misleading, as with estimated fermentation/conditioning schedules.
Regarding the dried yeast being able to cope with extra fermentables (sugars), advice that I've read many times, and which I follow, is to re-hydrate it before pitching. This apparently gives it a big advantage when it starts work.
Boil the kettle and pour about 250ml (ish) into a sterilized cup or jug. Cool it to approx 32 degrees centigrade (+/- 2 or 3 degrees, not crucial) then add the yeast to it. Don't stir, but you can gently swirl every few minutes to help mix. Then after about 15 minutes add the yeast solution to the wort.
If I add loads of extra fermentables to a kit to up the abv then I also add a couple of teaspoons of yeast nutrient. May not be necessary but if it doesn't help it shouldn't hurt either, and I've read that it might make the difference between a stuck brew and a successful one.