This study emphasizes the importance of communication between parents and children. It addresses how relationship quality, health knowledge, and emotional processing may be reflected in how parents and children talk about potentially distressing events within the family, as well as the importance of elaborative talk, and the expression of thoughts and feelings within conversation. This research also demonstrates the positive impact parent and child communication may have on a child's development and future approach to stressful experiences. Funding for this study was generously provided by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).