In our counseling work, we often find that parents of young children view parenting not so much as a relationship they have with their children as a set of techniques that they use to help them manage their children. Parents tend to assume that—barring a complete breakdown in family life—they automatically have good relationships with their children. It doesn’t always occur to them—and even less to their children—that the parent-child relationship is something that needs to be consciously developed, maintained, and deepened. The relationship is only as good as the intimacy and openness it exhibits. And that becomes especially important when our children reach adulthood.