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

submitted 11 months ago by KammicRelief to c/asklemmy

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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[–] pleasejustdie 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

We just use Discord. My daughter is 11 and has been on Discord for a while and uses it to talk to her friends while they are all gaming together, and can use it on her computer, phone, and tablet so she doesn't have to switch devices just to talk. Granted my daughter does have her own phone number, but she'll still use discord for her group chats just because of its ease of use and the ability for her and her friends to jump on a call to mine some crafts or ro some blox or whatever it is kids do these days.

[–] KammicRelief 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Right on, that would definitely be easiest because I use discord all the time. And yeah, this kid is all about the craft mining and blox ro-ing, often with a facetime in the background with their friend :) thanks for the vote!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

I'd second Discord! My kid and I use it.

We used to use Google chat or whatever the Gmail option was, but it was extremely difficult to do notifications on there.

My only advice is to keep an eye on servers they join and encourage them not to easily trust strangers or people who may say weird stuff.

With a general lesson internet safety (that honestly should be discussed with any online communication platform), you should be all good!