Remote Control Software

Hello everyone,
Can anyone tell me how you can remotely control the computers in my household from my own? Is there a special software that I need to install on each of them, and if so, what software would that be/recommend me to buy? When I say remote control from my own computer, I mean that it would halt all other actions on any targetted computers in my household and create a window which allows me to perform actions on that computer as if I were on it (the window would basically be a mini version of the screen). If such a software exists or something similar to it, I would gratefully appreciate any recommendations/suggestions.