PARENTING PLAN

This Parenting Plan was mediated with ____________________ between

___________________, Mother and _____________________, Father.

The Mother and Father were never married/married in ________________ on

the ________ day of ______, _________.

________________________ has filed an action involving custody of the

child/children in the District Court of __________________ County, Iowa

Mother and Father have __________ minor child/children: _______________,

________________, ____________________, and _____________________.

Each parent is aware of his or her right to be represented by legal counsel and
has had a full opportunity to seek counsel for purposes of entering into this Parenting
Plan (the “Plan”); and

Mother and Father wish to have this Plan and the terms and conditions contained
herein, approved by the Court and incorporated by the Court in the Final Decree.

Mother and Father mutually agree as follows: (Use ones that apply)

 The best interests of the minor children will be maintained through

appropriate involvement of both Mother and Father in each child’s life.

 Mother and Father agree that each parent is a fit and proper person to be
involved in the parenting of the child/children.

 Mother and Father will remain active and appropriately involved in

maintaining a safe, stable consistent and nurturing relationship with their
child/children.

 The overriding purpose of this Plan will be to establish custody, parenting

time, visitation and other access arrangements to include apportionment of
parenting time to be spent with Mother and Father and to provide provisions
for a remediation process regarding future modifications of this Plan.

 Mother and Father understand the needs of each child/children may change
as the child/children develop and they will interpret and apply this Plan in a
way which best serves the evolving interests of each child/children.

 The parties understand that this Plan anticipates they will act in the best
interest of each minor child/children as defined by Iowa Law.
 Mother and Father shall have joint legal custody of the child/children which
requires that they exercise mutual authority and responsibility for making final
fundamental regarding each child/children’s welfare and mutually participate in
the responsibility of providing the parenting functions necessary for raising
child/children.
We must share the rights and responsibility of raising the child/children.
We will maximum continuing physical contact between the child/children and
both parents. We will participate in decisions affecting the child/children’s
medical care, education, extra curricular activities and religious instructions.
We will keep one another informed of all doctor’s appointments, teacher
conferences, sporting events, scouting events, plays and all other activities.
We will share insurance cards and other insurance information.
We agree to use common courtesy and common sense when dealing with
each other concerning child/children. We promise that we will not disparage
the other in the presence of the child/children. We will observe the following
ground rules: The child/children will not be used to communicate messages;
disputes between us, will not be aired in front of the child/children; we will
communicate directly with each other. New spouses or significant other will
not be involved in communications concerning the child/children. We will
each have reasonable telephone access to the child/children when they are
with the other parent; we will promptly furnish to the other a copy of all sport
schedules, school calendars, dance class schedules and other notices of
activities, medical appointments, events and awards; We will keep the
other informed of his/her current telephone number , and we will not abuse
that telephone number by calling for any reason other than the child/children;
we will keep the other informed of an address and phone number for any care
providers who may watch the child/children.
 In the event mutual decisions can not be reached then ______________
shall have the authority to make a final decision.
 The parties understand that this plan anticipates they will act in the best
interest of each minor child/children as defined by Iowa Law.
  _____________ shall have legal custody of the child/children and shall
maintain the legal responsibility and authority to make final fundamental
decisions concerning a child/children’s welfare and the parenting functions
necessary for raising each child/children.
 The principal residence of the child/children shall be with _____________
subject to _____________’s parenting time provisions set out in this plan.
In the event either parent moves, the new address shall be provided to the
other parent prior to the move.
 The child/children’s residence shall not be changed from the State of Iowa
without prior written permission of Court.
 Each parent shall have parenting time with the child/children as follows:
A. Weekends - every other weekend commencing from ___________
on until Sunday/Monday at _______________.
B. Weekdays – on from ________________until __________________.
C. Summer - Each parent shall have _____ days uninterrupted parenting
time during the summer. Each parent shall inform the other no later than May 1st of
each year (alt)(or ___ days prior to) of the dates selected. Summer parenting time shall
not infringe upon the other parent's holiday parenting time dates. Summer parenting
time may not be tacked onto weekend parenting time or holiday parenting time without
prior consent of the other parent. When summer parenting time includes leaving Iowa
for out of state travel, telephone and address information shall be provided to the other
parent.
Both parents may elect to designate up to seven (7) consecutive days for
vacation time without the child/children by providing thirty (30) days advance notice to
the other parent who shall have the option to exercise parenting time with the children
during the other parent’s regular parenting time.
D. Holidays - Holidays shall prevail over the regular schedule of
parenting time.
E. Major Holidays:
1.) Easter: This holiday shall commence on Friday at
__________ and conclude on Monday at ____________ .
 2.) Memorial Day Weekend: This holiday shall commence on
Friday at ___________ and conclude on Monday, Memorial Day at _____________.
3.) Fourth of July: This holiday shall commence on July 4th at
____________ and conclude on July 5th at __________________.
4.) Labor Day Weekend: This holiday shall commence on
Friday at ____________ and conclude on Monday, Labor Day at ______________.
5.) Thanksgiving: This holiday shall commence on Wednesday
at ___________________ and conclude on _______________ at ________________.
6.) Christmas Eve: This holiday shall commence on the day the
child/children are released from school at ______________ and conclude on December
24th at _________________.
7.) Christmas Day: This holiday shall commence on December 24
at _____________ and conclude on December ____ at _____________.
8.) New Year's Eve: This holiday shall commence on
December 31 at __________ and conclude on January 1st at _____________.
st

9.) New Year's Day: This holiday shall commence on January

1st at _______________ and conclude on the day before school is to begin at _______.
F. Other:
1.) The child/children shall be returned to ____________ at the
conclusion of each holiday. (alternative provision) (The parent commencing parenting
time shall pickup the children.)
2.) In even-numbered years Petitioner/Respondent,
___________ shall have the child/children for the following holidays: Easter, Fourth of
July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Petitioner/Respondent, ___________ shall have the children for the
following holidays: Memorial Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, Christmas Eve, and
New Year’s Eve.
3.) In Odd-numbered years Petitioner/Respondent,
_________________ shall have the child/children for the following holidays: Memorial
Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve.
 Petitioner/Respondent, ____________ shall have the child/children
for the following holidays: Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and
New Year's Day.
G. Mother's/Father’s Day: The child/children will spend Mother's Day
with Mother. The child/children will spend Father's Day with Father. For Mother's Day
and Father's Day only, the holiday shall commence on _________ at _________and
conclude on _____________ at ___________.
H. Any vacation parenting time or holiday parenting time that results in
a parent having two (2) consecutive weekends shall reset the alternating weekend
schedule such that the other parent shall have parenting time on the third (3rd) weekend
and the weekend and week day parenting times shall alternate according to the plan
from the end of that weekend parenting time.
(alternative provision) (Because of the parents’ work schedule, the
alternating weekends shall remain the same even if one parent receives three
weekends consecutively as a result of vacation or holiday parenting time.)
I. Other holidays, birthdays, and significant dates may be celebrated
by mutual agreement of Mother and Father consistent with the best interests of the
child/children.
J. The above terms concerning parenting time and access to each
child may be adjusted or temporarily modified in length, timing, or terms upon
reasonable advance notice, communication and agreement between Mother, Father,
and child/children when appropriate.
K. Both parents acknowledge the responsibility to exercise and
provide parenting time and that time is of the essence in exercising and providing
parenting time. Each parent shall use reasonable diligence to notify the other in a
timely manner when he or she will be delayed, late, or unable to exercise or provide
parenting time within the time frames provided by this agreement. Fifteen minutes is a
reasonable time for a parent to wait in order to pickup or return the child/children.
L. Each parent shall be responsible for providing his or her parents and
extended family with access time to the child/children during that parent’s time with the
child/children.
  One parent may not plan or schedule activities for a child/children during
the parenting time of the other parent, without reasonable notice and consent of the
other parent.
 The Mother and Father agree that each child/children will have access to
telephone and email contact with the other parent. Each parent shall have the same
degree of telephone access with each child/children. The parent with whom a child is
staying at any one time will assist in initiating calls to or receiving calls from the other
parent and will not unreasonably interfere with such access. Telephone access will be
exercised each (day)________ and _________ between ____ A.M./P.M. and ____
A.M/P.M.
 Mother and Father shall inform one another reasonably in advance of
each child/children's events where a parent may participate in the child/children's
activities or events (for example, school plays, teacher conferences, sporting events,
music recitals, et cetera). Notice shall be provided in such a way that the other parent
has the maximum opportunity to attend that activity or event.
 Mother and Father acknowledge the responsibility to provide each
child/children with regular and continuous school attendance and progress. Both
parents shall assist each child/children to the maximum extent possible to assure a
quality education. Each parent will provide the other parent with information related to
educational achievements and deficiencies of each child/children. Mother and Father
will provide each other reasonable advance notice of any events, occurrences or
decisions relevant to the child/children’s education, to include without limitation: content
of curricula or curricula changes, changes of school, testing related to post high school
education, and events related to the decision or selection of college education.
 All school, medical, dental, counseling, and other records will be
reasonably available and accessible to both Mother and the Father. The names of each
parent shall appear on all medical and school records. Each parent is responsible for
notifying the school that he or she is to be included on mailing lists and be notified of
conferences and events, provided report cards, progress notes and other pertinent
information.
  Either Mother or Father may authorize emergency medical procedures in
situations affecting the immediate health or safety of each child/children.
 Decisions of the moment regarding day-to-day care of each child/children
will be made by the parent with whom each child/children is residing at the time.
 Mother and Father shall assist each child/children in maintaining a positive
relationship with the other parent and with other family members. Neither parent shall
engage in conduct which tends to disparage the other parent or other family members;
which tends to develop or maintain a negative relationship toward the other parent or
other family members; or which tends to encourage a child/children to violate this plan
or be uncooperative in implementing it. All communications about each child/children
shall be conducted between the biological parents only, regardless of future
relationships.
 To resolve future changes or conflicts regarding parenting functions,
parenting time or this plan, the parents shall first seek solutions through mutual
agreement by identifying the issues, providing an opportunity for exchange of
information, and providing an opportunity for the consideration of proposed solutions to
the issues in a way which minimizes the exposure of each child/children to parental
conflict. The parents shall attempt to minimize repeated litigation and utilize judicial
intervention as a last resort by use of the mediation process, prior to resorting to the
court system.
 Mother and Father agree that continued, meaningful and frequent
communication between them and each child/children is a necessary and appropriate
element to this plan. In this regard Mother and Father will encourage and foster
communication between themselves and the child/children in order to define and meet
the "parenting functions".
(alternative provision)  (Mother and Father agree that face to face
communication between them is not a reasonable method for appropriate issue
resolution. They agree further not to exchange information through the child/children.
The parents’ primary method of communication shall be by e-mail. The e-mail
communications shall be made in a business like manner without language that is
sarcastic, derogatory, inflammatory, demeaning, judgmental, accusatory, or digress with
an historical statement of past problems or failures to cooperate. Neither parent will
engage in name-calling. E-mails shall be direct and short with consideration of one (1)
issue per communication.
A. The initiation of any communication shall clearly and briefly state:
1. The single issue or topic to be considered;
2. A short statement or explanation;
3. A proposed resolution without comment on a possible response
by the other parent; and
4. Use multiple e-mails for multiple topics.
B. The responding parent shall:
1. Acknowledge receipt of the e-mail and state when an answer will
be provided;
2. Answer in a timely manner;
3. Request any clarification or state any questions; and
4. Limit response to the issue presented and to any proposed
resolution.
C. Discussion may continue until an agreement is reached or until one of
the parents declares the issue closed, once either parent says STOP, the
discussion must terminate.
D. Resolved issues shall be confirmed by each parent and unresolved
issues will be referred to mediation.
E. In the event that time constraints require quicker consideration of an
issue than e-mail will allow, then telephone communication may be by means of
voice mail only, with the same rules as e-mail.)
 This Plan may be modified by mutual, written agreement of the parties and
such modification shall be subject to approval by the Court before being incorporated
into a court order.
 This Plan shall expire when its terms are no longer effective with respect
to any individual child/children. It may be terminated prior to a child/children reaching
the age of majority only upon agreement of Mother and Father and with approval of the
Court.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PARENTING PLAN

By signing this Parenting Plan, we ask the Court, subject to approval by attorneys
and subject to Mediation Rules adopted by the Fourth Judicial District, paragraph
9, to approve the terms and conditions of our agreement, and to incorporate
those terms in the final Decree. We represent that we believe the Parenting Plan
as set forth above is in the best interests of each of our children. We each have
agreed to this Parenting Plan with full understanding and without undue
influence, fraud, coercion, or misrepresentation. Our full agreement is set forth
herein, and there are no secret or undisclosed terms. We agree to abide by the
general principles set forth herein.

_______________________________________________Date: __________________
Petitioner

Petitioner’s attorney: _____________________________________________________

_________________________________________________Date: ________________
Respondent

Respondent’s attorney: ___________________________________________________