My plotbunnies always slip the leash, always, and then stick their tongues out at me for even having tried.
I also see Tifa's problems as being "male game designers don't know how to write women for shit, especially Japanese ones." A lot of Tifa's flaws--like not saying "Yo, dofus, YOU WEREN'T THERE!" are so stereotypical Japanese that it hurts--never say anything to embarrass someone or make them lose face. And she can't be too strong of a character or she won't be 'cute', WTF.
Even in Advent Children, I think Tifa needed slapping with the Reality Fish--just the shot of the picture of her, Marlene, Cloud, and Denzel showed, looking at the body language, how completely out of touch she was--she had her happy little world in her mind, and that's how it was and reality could go screw itself. The fact she didn't realize Cloud was camping out in the church or was even sick told me way, way too much about her.