diff --git a/eek/eek-container.c b/eek/eek-container.c
index d8f53cff..8360a21c 100644
--- a/eek/eek-container.c
+++ b/eek/eek-container.c
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ eek_container_real_add_child (EekContainer *self,
     g_object_ref_sink (child);
 
     priv->children = g_slist_prepend (priv->children, child);
+    eek_element_set_parent (child, self);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ eek_container_real_remove_child (EekContainer *self,
     g_return_if_fail (head);
     g_object_unref (child);
     priv->children = g_slist_remove_link (priv->children, head);
+    eek_element_set_parent (child, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/eek/eek-element.c b/eek/eek-element.c
index f22fc0c0..978fce2d 100644
--- a/eek/eek-element.c
+++ b/eek/eek-element.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #endif  /* HAVE_CONFIG_H */
 
 #include "eek-element.h"
+#include "eek-container.h"
 
 enum {
     PROP_0,
@@ -51,8 +52,35 @@ struct _EekElementPrivate
 {
     gchar *name;
     EekBounds bounds;
+    EekContainer *parent;
 };
 
+static void
+eek_element_real_set_parent (EekElement   *self,
+                             EekContainer *parent)
+{
+    EekElementPrivate *priv = EEK_ELEMENT_GET_PRIVATE(self);
+
+    if (!parent) {
+        g_return_if_fail (priv->parent);
+        /* release self-reference acquired when setting parent */
+        g_object_unref (self);
+        priv->parent = NULL;
+    } else {
+        g_return_if_fail (!priv->parent);
+        g_object_ref_sink (self);
+        priv->parent = parent;
+    }
+}
+
+static EekContainer *
+eek_element_real_get_parent (EekElement *self)
+{
+    EekElementPrivate *priv = EEK_ELEMENT_GET_PRIVATE(self);
+
+    return priv->parent;
+}
+
 static void
 eek_element_real_set_name (EekElement  *self,
                            const gchar *name)
@@ -156,6 +184,8 @@ eek_element_class_init (EekElementClass *klass)
     g_type_class_add_private (gobject_class,
                               sizeof (EekElementPrivate));
 
+    klass->set_parent = eek_element_real_set_parent;
+    klass->get_parent = eek_element_real_get_parent;
     klass->set_name = eek_element_real_set_name;
     klass->get_name = eek_element_real_get_name;
     klass->set_bounds = eek_element_real_set_bounds;
@@ -204,6 +234,36 @@ eek_element_init (EekElement *self)
     memset (&priv->bounds, 0, sizeof priv->bounds);
 }
 
+/**
+ * eek_element_set_parent:
+ * @element: an #EekElement
+ * @parent: an #EekContainer
+ *
+ * Set the parent of @element to @parent.
+ */
+void
+eek_element_set_parent (EekElement   *element,
+                        EekContainer *parent)
+{
+    g_return_if_fail (EEK_IS_ELEMENT(element));
+    g_return_if_fail (EEK_IS_CONTAINER(parent));
+    EEK_ELEMENT_GET_CLASS(element)->set_parent (element, parent);
+}
+
+/**
+ * eek_element_get_parent:
+ * @element: an #EekElement
+ *
+ * Get the parent of @element.
+ * Returns: an #EekContainer if the parent is set
+ */
+EekContainer *
+eek_element_get_parent (EekElement *element)
+{
+    g_return_val_if_fail (EEK_IS_ELEMENT(element), NULL);
+    return EEK_ELEMENT_GET_CLASS(element)->get_parent (element);
+}
+
 /**
  * eek_element_set_name:
  * @element: an #EekElement
diff --git a/eek/eek-element.h b/eek/eek-element.h
index 07233b2d..bb12735b 100644
--- a/eek/eek-element.h
+++ b/eek/eek-element.h
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ struct _EekElementClass
 {
     /*< private >*/
     GInitiallyUnownedClass parent_class;
-
+    void                  (* set_parent) (EekElement   *self,
+                                          EekContainer *parent);
+    EekContainer         *(* get_parent) (EekElement   *self);
     void                  (* set_name)   (EekElement   *self,
                                           const gchar  *name);
 
@@ -61,16 +63,19 @@ struct _EekElementClass
 
 GType                 eek_element_get_type   (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-void                  eek_element_set_name   (EekElement  *element,
-                                              const gchar *name);
+void                  eek_element_set_parent (EekElement   *element,
+                                              EekContainer *parent);
+EekContainer         *eek_element_get_parent (EekElement   *element);
+void                  eek_element_set_name   (EekElement   *element,
+                                              const gchar  *name);
 
-G_CONST_RETURN gchar *eek_element_get_name   (EekElement  *element);
+G_CONST_RETURN gchar *eek_element_get_name   (EekElement   *element);
 
-void                  eek_element_set_bounds (EekElement  *element,
-                                              EekBounds   *bounds);
+void                  eek_element_set_bounds (EekElement   *element,
+                                              EekBounds    *bounds);
 
-void                  eek_element_get_bounds (EekElement  *element,
-                                              EekBounds   *bounds);
+void                  eek_element_get_bounds (EekElement   *element,
+                                              EekBounds    *bounds);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 #endif  /* EEK_ELEMENT_H */