@screamdoom
Not to be a smartass, but it's specifically over-communication that is the culprit here, rather than miscommunication. It's when the author over-reveals information to the audience, that other characters are not privy to.
Imagine that if we wouldn't be inside the head of the MC; from the perspective of the child she has no idea how to handle this man that may or may not even want her around. That way, if we have no idea wtf the MC is thinking, we're on the same page as the child -- and can respect her decisions...That form of miscommunication and misunderstanding narrative is a bit more legit than what we have right here.
It only truly starts to become annoying, when the audience knows what everyone are thinking, but the characters do not. They seem like a bunch of retards to us, and it becomes nearly impossible to sympathize with their decisions.
But anyway, yeah, I hear you. This misunderstanding trope is so tart and old that it feels like a sci-fi writer is genuinely trying to pull off a flying saucer and alien green men.