iTunes accounts and kids

[Gena]

My brother read this article over the weekend: iHelp for Autism (http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-08-11/news/ihelp-for-autism/)about how the iPad can be great tool for teaching various skills to kids with autism. He was very impressed with the article and decided he is going to buy DS an iPad. I'm really touched by this. My brother lives on the other side of the country and we only get to see him once a year or so, but I know he really cares about my DS. (He's single/no kids and likes to send DS little gifts every now and then. He's also a bit of an Apple fanboy.)

I'm really excited for DS that he will be getting an iPad. He plays a couple of the apps on DH's iPhone. And he loved using my parents' iPad (which my brother bought for them) when we visited. I know there are a lot of great apps that will benefit him.

What I don't know is how to handle the iTunes account. DH has an iTunes account for his iPhone, but should we set up a seperate account for DS? I would want to use gift cards to fund DS's account and not tie it to a credit card. Does that seem reasonable? Should the account be in my name (since I would be the one managing it anyway), or in DS's name? Can kids even have an iTunes account?

[Swimfreak78]

I think you have to be 13 or older to have an iTunes acct. If you will be managing it, it should be in your name that way you can use GC rather than tie to credit card.

[Penny's Pappa]

I don't think you need to have a separate account. All the files you download end up in the same place -- onto your computer -- regardless of which iTunes account you use. I would just apply the GCs to your husband's account and use those funds to download songs for your son.

What you will want is either a separate iTunes library or a specific playlist for all your son's music, apps, etc.

[larig]

I'd keep it all together. Easier for you to manage, since you will likely be the one doing the work! How cool for your DS, what a great uncle!

[Gena]

I don't think you need to have a separate account. All the files you download end up in the same place -- onto your computer -- regardless of which iTunes account you use. I would just apply the GCs to your husband's account and use those funds to download songs for your son.

What you will want is either a separate iTunes library or a specific playlist for all your son's music, apps, etc.

Ok, I'm going to have to learn about libraries. How do you sync different libaries to different devices? I don't plan to download songs, just apps. Is a "playlist" songs, or it apps too?

If I apply DS's gift cards to DH's account, can I keep DH from using them for his own stuff?


I'd keep it all together. Easier for you to manage, since you will likely be the one doing the work! How cool for your DS, what a great uncle!

I don't manage DH's account and I don't want to. ;) I only want to manage DS's apps & stuff.

If everything is in one account can I still use parental controls for DS? Or will that limit DH's stuff too?

[Neatfreak]

If it's possible to run different user profiles on your computer, you could have a separate iTunes for your son.

[Penny's Pappa]

Ok, I'm going to have to learn about libraries. How do you sync different libaries to different devices?

Hold down the Shift key while you open up iTunes and keep holding it until a dialog box appears. One of the buttons should say something like "Create New Library." This will make a blank library that you can populate with files and sync up to a device just like normal. It'll work independently of any other libraries you have.

To switch between libraries, do the Shift operation again, but pick the "Choose Library" button.


I don't plan to download songs, just apps. Is a "playlist" songs, or it apps too?I don't know.


If I apply DS's gift cards to DH's account, can I keep DH from using them for his own stuff?Hmmm...you might have to ask your husband!


I don't manage DH's account and I don't want to. ;) I only want to manage DS's apps & stuff.

If everything is in one account can I still use parental controls for DS? Or will that limit DH's stuff too?If you have a separate library for your son, then you won't be managing any of your husband's files since they'll be in another library.

There's nothing wrong with getting another iTunes account for yourself. After some more thought, it might work out well for you since you want to completely segregate your husband's account activities from that of your son's. However, you may have to link it to a credit card just to verify the account. Don't take my word on that though.

[Penny's Pappa]

If it's possible to run different user profiles on your computer, you could have a separate iTunes for your son.

Not necessary. See my comments above about creating separate libraries.

[Gena]

If you have a separate library for your son, then you won't be managing any of your husband's files since they'll be in another library.

So the parental controls are specific to the library and not the account as a whole?


There's nothing wrong with getting another iTunes account for yourself. After some more thought, it might work out well for you since you want to completely segregate your husband's account activities from that of your son's. However, you may have to link it to a credit card just to verify the account. Don't take my word on that though.

According to this you don't need a credit card to set up an iTunes account: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/familyissues/ss/freeitunes.htm

[MacMacMoo]

My dad bought an iPad for my son. he has them for his sons (twin boys four years old who don't talk.) Actually he bought us one because the iPad got the boys talking.

Anyways I thought you had to have a credit card tied to an itunes account. i guess I'm wrong. My biggest recommendation is to make sure you don't allow in app purchases.

And then from there you need to decided whether you want them to b able to download apps without you. As in share the itunes password with them.

[Neatfreak]

Not necessary. See my comments above about creating separate libraries.

And I just learned something that could be really useful :)

[kijip]

That is really sweet and generous of him. I hope it is useful to your son.

[Penny's Pappa]

So the parental controls are specific to the library and not the account as a whole?

Tinkering around with our libraries here and it looks like Parental Controls affect the iTunes program itself, so any changes you make to the parental controls in one library affect all the libraries. That sucks.

Making a new iTunes account wouldn't solve this problem.

I think you would need a completely separate instance of the iTunes program. You might be able to do that using Neatfreak's suggestion of making a separate Windows user account, and installing another copy of iTunes, but I've never tried that, not to mention that it sounds like a huge hassle.

Honestly, I think your best bet is to make another iTunes store account for your son, in your name, and setting up another library for him with content that you control. No need to have a bunch of Parental Controls in place if the only files he can access are ones that you already approve of, KWIM?


ETA: Your brother sounds awesome.

[Gena]

Tinkering around with our libraries here and it looks like Parental Controls affect the iTunes program itself, so any changes you make to the parental controls in one library affect all the libraries. That sucks.

Making a new iTunes account wouldn't solve this problem.

I think you would need a completely separate instance of the iTunes program. You might be able to do that using Neatfreak's suggestion of making a separate Windows user account, and installing another copy of iTunes, but I've never tried that, not to mention that it sounds like a huge hassle.

Honestly, I think your best bet is to make another iTunes store account for your son, in your name, and setting up another library for him with content that you control. No need to have a bunch of Parental Controls in place if the only files he can access are ones that you already approve of, KWIM?

Thanks. That's great info and helps a lot.

DH and I are going to have to do some more thinking about which approach will work best for us. We've been talking about setting DS up with his own Windows user account anyway, so it may be time to do that. He recently discovered how to access (and answer) our emails, so we need to put a stop to that without having to constantly change our passwords.


ETA: Your brother sounds awesome.

He is way cool. :D