Polymer communication between elements - data-binding

Question

I want to achieve communication between child parent with Polymer element.
Here my index.html
<proto-receiver data="message">
<proto-element data="message"></proto-element>
</proto-receiver>
Both element have their respective "data" property
properties: {
data: {
value: 'my-data',
notify: true,
}
},
In proto-receiver, which is the parent I update "data" by handling simple click
<template>
<span on-tap="onClick">proto receiver: {{data}}</span>
<content></content>
</template>
onClick: function () {
this.data = 'new-message';
},
I want the change to be propagate to the child element as well, as it mentioned here.
I achieve this by passing a setter in my child element and called it like this. Which is, I guess, not the way it should be done.
Polymer.Base.$$('body').querySelector('proto-element').setData(this.data);
What I'm doing wrong
Thanks
UPDATE:
For those coming here. The proper way of doing this is by using Events.
Polymer 1.x
this.fire('kick', {kicked: true});
Polymer 2.x (simple javascript)
this.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kick', {detail: {kicked: true}}));
In both case the receiver should implement the regular addEventListener
document.querySelector('x-custom').addEventListener('kick', function (e) {
console.log(e.detail.kicked); // true
})

Answer 1

To provide a concrete example to Scott Miles' comments, if you can wrap your parent and child elements in a Polymer template (such as dom-bind or as children to yet another Polymer element), then you can handle this declaratively. Check out the mediator pattern.
parent element:
<dom-module id="parent-el">
<template>
<button on-tap="onTap">set message from parent-el</button>
<p>parent-el.message: {{message}}</p>
<content></content>
</template>
<script>
Polymer({
is: 'parent-el',
properties: {
message: {
type: String,
notify: true
}
},
onTap: function() {
this.message = 'this was set from parent-el';
}
});
</script>
</dom-module>
child element:
<dom-module id="child-el">
<template>
<p>child-el.message: {{message}}</p>
</template>
<script>
Polymer({
is: 'child-el',
properties: {
message: {
type: String,
notify: true
}
}
});
</script>
</dom-module>
index.html:
<template is="dom-bind" id="app">
<parent-el message="{{message}}">
<child-el message="{{message}}"></child-el>
</parent-el>
</template>
<script>
(function(document) {
var app = document.querySelector('#app');
app.message = 'this was set from index.html script';
}) (document);
</script>
JS Bin

Answer 2

I was facing same issue and got solution for it and fixed it as below
this.fire('iron-signal', {name: 'hello', data: null});
You can refer this iron-signals you will get the solution which you are looking for its basically event fire from any element to another
Hope this will help you
Polymer iron signals