One of the sad realities of our mobile society is that three or more generations of families don't often live in close proximity anymore. Most grandparents find themselves living far from their children and grandchildren.

Yearly visits are nice, of course, but it's undeniable that much is being missed. Relationships are built on interaction. Letters, photographs and disembodied voices on the phone cannot be relied upon to create the special bonds that grandparents and their children's children develop when they live in the same town. Especially for tots who can't read and have difficulty recognizing a voice, a grandparent can have little or no meaning to them except when he or she pays a visit.

Now, imagine if that small child, who doesn't remember seeing her grandmother last summer, were to have a short visit whenever Grammy phoned to see "what's up." Think of the bicoastal history lessons that can take place when Grandpa calls from Florida and his grandson in Seattle who, after counting the old man's wrinkles, asks, "Did you know Abraham Lincoln, Grandpa?"

Diane Henderson* lives in Southlake, Texas, just outside of Dallas, with her two small boys, Jeremy (5) and Jason (1). Diane's mom, Sylvia Thomas, lives "a thousand miles away" in Phoenix, Arizona, but they all get to see each other once or twice a week because they have ViaTV Phones.

"We really like them. They are fun. The kids like to show off their new toys and my mom gets to see lost teeth and first steps," says Diane.

There is no question that children are highly reliant on their visual sense and their lives are enriched by having grandparents they see often. Grandparents lives will be enhanced as well when they can actually see how much the children have grown and glimpse this year's Halloween costumes without having to wait a month to receive photos.

8x8'sViaTV Phone helps long-distance families bridge the miles and connect. ViaTV Phones are really the next best thing to being there and you don't need a computer, just your television and your telephone.