I have known men whose sons and daughters - adults ones - would tell them everything about their love life. I have always been totally amazed. I have known a guy, who has since died of heart attack, who not only knew everything about his son and daughter's lives, but also their classmates' and friends' because they confided in him - he was someone who would have been voted "the coolest parent of the year" for being super accessible, friendly, non-judgmental, etc. (this particular guy was an artist with a bohemian lifestyle, but the others have been more conventional white collar professionals). I knew someone... he was an international tax lawyer and a music lover, though this is irrelevant... whose daughter was at that time 14 and he told her "when you want to smoke marijuana for the first time, please come to me because it is unpredictable what might happen and I want to be able to guide and protect you". Unfortunately I have lost touch of them and do not know what ensued, but you get the point. That is how you earn your children's trust.