Setting up iMessage for a kid who doen't have their own phone number/data plan.
Why can't a parent with a family sharing account use a parent's phone number to activate iMessage for their kid's device? We each have our own apple ID and we have had no problem setting the kids' devices up for iMessage in the past, but after spending an hour on the phone with customer service this morning, we eventually learned that you can no longer activate iMessage without an activated phone number specific to that phone. That seems ridiculous to me. Why can't the parent's number be used to activate iMessage?
Does anyone know a work-around for this? I don't want a data plan for my child-- just want to be able to message with them when needed.
Thanks!