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Hearing your grandchildren's voices is special, but seeing their faces is even better. Videoconferencing is the next best thing to being there.

Once only available to spy-movie heroes and to the members of corporate boards, the technology for videophones and videoconferencing is now at everyone's fingertips. And it's especially useful for grandparents whose grandchildren live far away from them.

There's no electronic substitute for a hug. But with video cameras built into most recent-model home computers, and with the ability of most digital cameras to connect to your computer, you can have regular face-to-face time with your grandchildren, even those who live thousands of miles away. All you need is a PC with a high-speed internet connection (such as a cable modem or DSL), and a compatible camera, microphone, and speakers, all of which may already be built into your computer.

Get Dialed In

Several free, easy to set-up services make it easy to get started. The popular Skype is free and works with PCs and Apple computers. Apple users can also use the company's free iChat software for their family videoconferences. For either site, create an account, log in, and download the software. If your computer doesn't have a built-in camera, or if you just prefer to use your own, plug it into your computer's USB port. Make a few practice calls before scheduling a conference with the kids, to ensure your computer's speakers are set at the right volume. Either program has onscreen prompts to guide you step-by-step through a call. Then set up an appointment with your grandchildren and you're ready to go, ready to dance, wave, read a story, or just sit and grin at their antics.

“Few things are as important as keeping grandparents and grandkids connected," says Wesley Fryer, 37, of Edmond, Okla. "My grandmother lived in Wyoming. I was in Texas. We wrote letters, made phone calls. But kids and language and their likes change so fast, being able to hear their voices and see them up close is compelling.” Fryer uses Skype to help his children videoconference with their grandparents, and he says that setting up an account is as easy as setting up Voicemail.

Make Yourself Animated

Veteran videoconferencers encourage grandparents new to the scene to be as animated during their calls as they would be during a live visit. Make wacky faces, hold up pictures (or let children watch you draw them), tell jokes, do pratfalls — whatever it is that you normally do to get the kids to giggle. These conferences give your long-distance grandchildren an opportunity to get to know you as a real person.

Rod Reese, 55, the superintendant of schools in Tonkawa, Okla., chairs a family videoconference almost every Sunday morning. He stays in touch with his seven grandchildren and with his 25-year-old son, who coaches football in Germany. “It’s simple, and I can’t believe it’s free," he says. "Seems like something this important would cost."

Some of Reese's neighbors still give him blank stares when he talks about his videoconferences, he says, but more people are catching on. “It’s terrific for little children to keep a clear memory of loved ones far away,” he explains. “It's not like waiting for a letter and getting a few lines of news. It’s instant and has a very positive impact.”

For more ideas on bonding with grandchildren from a distance, click here. Elsewhere on Grandparents.com, join the discussion about whether your grandchildren know you well enough, read our feature on grandparents who keep up with blogs about their grandchildren, and find out the 25 reasons kids love grandparents.

Have you ever videoconferenced with your grandchildren?   37 Answers Yes, and now I'm hooked    45.9% No, the phone still works fine for me    54.1%

Have you ever videoconferenced with your grandchildren?   Yes, and now I'm hooked No, the phone still works fine for me Select your answer to see the current poll results.

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