SMART Notebook 18

    This causes the adult child to take themselves and life too seriously. They often feel like "imposters" in adulthood, constantly waiting for someone to realize they are just a frightened child wearing a suit. 5. Perfectionism as a Shield

    To survive, the child becomes an expert at reading a parent’s mood. This develops into an adult who is compulsively people-pleasing and unable to identify their own needs because they were always focused on the needs of the "unpredictable" adult. 2. The Thwarted Separation-Individuation Process

    This creates an adult who is terrified of making mistakes. Because their self-worth was tied to being "the good kid," any failure in adulthood feels like a total loss of identity, triggering the same primal fear they felt at age five. Conclusion