WhatsApp

[Anonymous]

Our middle schooler has been asking for a data plan, but I noticed one of her friends just uses the school WiFi and can text our make a call via FaceTime. My DH has an Android, so I was wondering if it would make sense to try something like WhatsApp to allow them to text if necessary. Has anyone else tried this? What are the pros and cons?

[Anonymous]

I love WhatsApp, I wish my own kids would use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love WhatsApp, I wish my own kids would use it.

What do you like about it?

[Anonymous]

Pictures load much faster on whatsapp. Also having large groups in very easy. You can favorite important messages, you can mute notifications from specific groups if you like, you can invite members to your group with a link and you tell which members have read the messages to make sure they have seen your information.

[Anonymous]

I use it all the time. However inonlybuse it with friends and family who live outside of the US. It is great for picture/voice/phone/video sharing. If you have wifi, you can use whatsapp. My DS always has our former AP help him with his German homework over whatsapp and she speaks to him in German to practice his dialogue.

[Anonymous]

I communicate with DD on hangouts because I'm android too. Similar to WhatsApp and allows her to message me with her plans/whereabouts etc. I have no cons... and it's free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I communicate with DD on hangouts because I'm android too. Similar to WhatsApp and allows her to message me with her plans/whereabouts etc. I have no cons... and it's free.

Do you mean google hangouts?

[Anonymous]

Overall, we are struggling with this question of whether to get a data plan. It seems our DD wants peace of mind to know she can reach us anytime...maybe she wants to be able to receive texts etc while on the bus, not sure.

[Anonymous]

How often do you need to communicate and in what situations? If it’s only to call you when they’re at school or some other Wi-Fi zone, that’s fine. But if you have to coordinate with them on the fly while traveling or something, they will need data to support any WhatsApp texts or calls.

For WhatsApp, it really depends on how widely used it is. You can’t use it to call or text someone not on WhatsApp. We’re overseas, where WhatsApp is huge and really the only way to communicate with 95% of people here, kids and adults alike. My middle schooler is on WhatsApp groups for school, with friends met thru summer camp, etc. I use it for pta, alumni groups, friends. Most of our US friends & family don’t seem to know about it and only respond when we communicate via FB messenger, FT or email.