Overfunctioning for children

Video

This 2 minutes video could help lessen parent's over-functioning patterns. 

Overfunctioning could be: doing for others what they can do for themselves, taking more responsibility than is reasonably yours, advice-giving, feeling responsible for others, or knowing what is best for them, talking more than listening, having goals for others that they don’t have for themselves, etc. 

Underfunctioning could be: asking for advice rather than thinking things through independently, getting others to help when help really isn’t needed, assuming less responsibility than is reasonably yours, listening more than talking, acting irresponsibly, floating with no goals most of the time, setting goals but not following through with them.

Overfunctioners manage emotions and anxiety by habitually doing more than their share. Underfunctioners manage emotions and anxiety by habitually doing less than their share.

Learning to recognize habits and assume responsibility for what is reasonably yours, and encouraging others to assume responsibility for what is reasonably theirs is a critical part of healthy and functioning families and relationships.

Cami Eiskamp