I admired my dad during his lifetime. Not just because he was a devoted Father who loved his wife and children completely, but because he was generally someone that most people will describe as a 'great guy'. He was very disciplined but meek in temperament, humble and extremely committed to the things he believed in.
Yet there was something we (his children) admittedly struggled with in our relationship with him - Our conversations. In our teen and early adult years it was something that we had come to accept as a 'flaw' in his personality. Now my dad absolutely was not a bad communicator, he was just pretty intentional about the things he talked about.
In our earlier years before we started getting old and leaving the house, and way before his illness, there were certain practices my dad ensured we participated in as kids - family prayer and dinner. These were non-optional and to be honest we did it gladly during our early childhood, then started to break away a bit during our teen years. We have all ironically found our way back to the Faith of our own accord, each at their own pace.
Most of the conversations I remember were of him praying for us. When we moved out every phone call ended with a prayer. To be honest I found this action a bit simplistic in my young adult years, but greatly see the value now.
Too Many parents focus on wanting involvement that they go on to be friends with their kids rather than parents. In an ideal World it should be both, but if for any reason it can't be, remember that it is as much a responsibility as it is a gift.