Q: Apple ID confusion
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Oct 21, 2013 5:40 PMby WelshDog,Neal, be very careful using multiple Apple IDs. It is best to NEVER use multiple Apple IDs on a computer with iTunes where you sync. You can very easily get into a seriously messed up situation where you are locked out of the content for one ID for 90 days. If you don't sync multiple devices to a single computer and just use iCloud backup and syncing on each device, then multiple Apple IDs will work.
The simple way to keep iMessages separate is to go to Settings> Messages> Send and Receive. There you can choose what phone number or email address each device responds to for sending and receiving messages. the simplest setup to just set each phone to it's own phone number and nothing else. Just deselect the numbers and emails that don't pertain to that phone.
As for iCloud it is very much linked to one Apple ID only. You can have multiple Apple IDs if you wish to utilize different iCloud accounts for each family memeber. Again though, be careful how you use them and what you choose to asscoiate with these multiple accounts. If you want to give your kids their own Apple IDs (and credit card access for iTunes, App Store etc.) that will work just fine. Just don't try to put those multiple Apple IDs onto one computer. Basically it's one computer one Apple ID.
This stuff can really crack your head open - particularly if somethig goes worng and you end up with data loss.
Read the tech support documents on this subject.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4895
http://support.apple.com/kb/HE68
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5312
And please, PLEASE write down all the email addresses and passwords and security questions associated with each account. Pay particular attention to the rescue email address. This is how Apple contacts you when you try to reset a password or security question. People forget they even provided a rescue email address and then end up having to call Apple when they never get the confirmation email.
Good luck, we're all counting on you.
