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What non-SMS non-Apple app can I use to "text" my younger kid on their iPad (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by KammicRelief@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

51 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi! My less-than-10-year-old has their own iPad (registered under my apple id) and wants to be able to "text" with the rest of the family. Most of us are not Apple people though: Android phones, using some combo of SMS, Discord, and Signal. The little one doesn't have a phone, so I think that prevents us from signing them up for Signal. I could probably install Discord on the iPad, though it doesn't feel ideal. They use iMessage (or whatever it's called) to text a couple other friends/grandma/etc who also have Apple stuff, but what should we use for our mostly-non-Apple family that wouldn't require a phone number?

An internet search pointed me to WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber.... stuff I've never used but it seems popular. Facebook Messenger also, but screw that. Google Chat/Hangouts (or whatever it's called now) is another option, which would require creating a google account.

If nothing else appeals to me we'll probably go the Discord route, and I'll just have to be clear, don't join random servers :) But, anybody out there use WhatsApp with your kid, and does it not require a phone number? I'm open to other ideas! Thank you...

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[–] HeartyBeast@kbin.social 19 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Step 1 - create a child account for them. Do not share an AppleId with them.

Second - this may feel a bit old fashioned - but have a look at downloading Skype

Free
Cross platform
No phone number needed
chat as well as audio/video calls.

[–] KammicRelief@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ok, I took your advice, bit the bullet and created the child account. Much better! I now have "Ask to buy" set up, and screen time and all that good stuff. I should've done this earlier. thanks for that! Skype seems like a decent alternative too.. I'll definitely consider it (though the easy option right now is seeming like Discord, just because the rest of us are on it already). Thanks!

[–] HeartyBeast@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Enjoy. Feel free to message me if you get stuck. Also check out the screen time and parental control options in iOS Settings - they are pretty good for setting limits on what a little’un can do and for how long.

[–] KammicRelief@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Yes! I've started using those already. Good stuff. Unfortunately the Content Restrictions seem to block Roblox completely, no matter how I configure it... so I'll have to leave those off, but that's probably ok. The iPad is mostly used supervised anyway. Thank you again!