"I tell guys to imagine what they'd say at their father's funeral, " says Stephan Poulter, author of Father Your Son and a psychologist who's helped more than 2300 blokes and their dads bridge the conversation gap.

Here's how to start five important discussions without making your dad squirm.

"Gimme a hand"

Sure, you've got a degree, a house, a job and maybe even your own family. But your dad's still indispensable and he needs to know it. "Asking for help tells him that you have confidence in him, " advises Gregory Lang, author of Why a Son Needs a Dad: 100 Reasons. Finances, family life and females are three can't-miss topics that will encourage him to open up and make it easier to talk about the tough subjects, like...

"What happens when you're gone?"

Seguing right from sport scores to portentous subjects like wills and funeral arrangements might drive him out of the room. It doesn't have to. "Tap into his fatherhood instinct, " suggests Poulter. "Make him realise that he's taking care of his family by taking care of himself. " Nobody likes talking about death, but odds are, your father appreciates a direct approach as much as any man. Try starting off with "Dad, let's just get this out of the way... ".

"Tell me about your father"

He was in your shoes once, as well. So ask him about his father. What things made him proud? What would he have done differently? It'll prime your father to answer the same questions himself. "We're all sons, " says Poulter. "Remind him of that and he'll know better where you're coming from. "

"Thanks... for everything"

Doesn't matter if it's the coat of paint he put on the garage last summer or the way he raised you: odds are, your old man probably thinks he could have done things differently and done a better job. So tell him the job he did was just fine. "Accept his strengths, his weaknesses and the whole package, " advises Lang. "He needs your acceptance just as much as you need his."