Parenting Plan Template

A parenting plan is a written agreement that explains how parents will share time, responsibilities, and communication for their child. A clear plan reduces conflict, supports stability, and helps both homes stay organized as life changes.

This template is an educational guide to help parents think through key decisions and create a plan that supports their child’s well-being. It is not legal advice, and requirements vary by state. Parents should consult local laws or an attorney before finalizing a legally binding plan.

Every family’s situation is unique.

This template is designed to be flexible and adaptable so parents can shape a plan that fits their child’s needs, schedules, and circumstances. Not every section will apply to every family, and parents may add details, remove sections, or modify the language based on what works best for them. This page is for educational purposes only and does not create a legally binding document.

Parent and Child Information

Parents
- Parent 1 Name: __________________________
- Parent 2 Name: __________________________

Child(ren) Covered by This Plan
- Child’s Name Birthdate
- ________________________________________ _________________________
- ________________________________________ _________________________

Decision Making Responsibilities

Parents should decide how major decisions will be made for their child. Many families share decision-making, while others divide responsibility by topic.

Major decisions include:

Education
Medical & dental care
Mental health treatment
Extracurricular activities
Religious or cultural upbringing
Travel & safety matters

Choose one:

☐ Joint decision-making (parents make major decisions together)
☐ Divided responsibility, described as:
- Education decisions made by __________________
- Medical decisions made by __________________
- Extracurricular decisions made by __________________
☐ One parent makes final decisions after consulting the other:
- Final decision-maker: __________________________

Day-to-day Decisions

Each parent manages normal daily decisions when the child is with them.

Emergency Decisions

Either parent may make emergency decisions and must notify the other parent as soon as reasonably possible.

Parenting Time Schedule

Parents should choose a consistent weekly routine that supports the child’s developmental needs, school schedule, and stability.

Common repeating schedules:

2-2-3 rotation
2-2-5-5 rotation
Alternating weeks
One primary home with midweek or weekend time for the other parent
Custom or work-based schedules

Our regular parenting time schedule will be:

_________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Exchange Location
- ☐ Parent 1’s home
- ☐ Parent 2’s home
- ☐ Child’s school/daycare
- ☐ Other: ______________________________________________________________________

Holiday & School Breaks

Holiday schedules override the regular weekly schedule.

Common holiday arrangements:

Alternating major holidays each year
Splitting winter break
Alternating birthdays or special days
Recognizing Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with the appropriate parent
Dividing spring break or rotating yearly
Alternating long weekends

Use this table to record your plan:

Holiday / Break Even Years Odd Years Notes
Thanksgiving Parent ____________ Parent ______________ _________________
Winter Break __________________ ____________________ _________________
Spring Break __________________ ____________________ _________________
Child’s Birthday __________________ ____________________ _________________
Mother’s Day Mother Mother
Father’s Day Father Father

Vacation & Travel

Travel During Parenting Time
- Parents may travel with the child during their scheduled parenting time unless restricted by law or court order.

Notice of Travel
- Parents agree to provide notice of out-of-town travel:
- ☐ Domestic travel: ____ days notice
- ☐ International travel: ____ days notice
- Each parent will provide:
- Travel dates
- Destination(s)
- Contact information
- Itinerary (if available)

Passports
- ☐ Either parent may hold the child’s passport
- ☐ Both parents will exchange the passport as needed
- ☐ Other arrangement: ____________________________________

Communicaiton Expectations

Communication Expectations

Between Parents

Parents agree to communicate respectfully and focus on the child’s needs.
Preferred communication method:
☐ Text
☐ Email
☐ Co-parenting app (e.g., OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents)
☐ Other: ___________________________________
Parents agree to:
Share important updates promptly
Keep messages brief and child-focused
Avoid discussing adult conflict in front of the child
Not use the child as a messenger

Between Parent & Child

The child should have ongoing, meaningful contact with both parents.
The non-parenting-time parent may contact the child:
☐ Daily
☐ Certain days: ______________________
☐ As requested by the child
Method(s): ☐ Phone ☐ Video chat ☐ Text (if age-appropriate)
Parents agree not to monitor or interfere with the child’s communication with the other parent.

Transportation & Exchanges

Transportation Expectations

Parents will decide who drives for pickups and drop-offs.

Transportation Plan

☐ Parent beginning parenting time picks up
☐ Parents split transportation
☐ Other: _________________________________________________________________________
Parents agree to:
Be on time
Notify each other of delays
Keep exchanges calm and conflict-free
Allow the child to transition smoothly

Right of First Refusal

If a parent cannot care for the child for more than:

☐ 2 hours
☐ 4 hours
☐ Overnight
☐ Other: ________

…they will offer the other parent the opportunity to care for the child before using a babysitter or third party.

Expenses and Financial Responsibility

Expenses & Financial Responsibilities

This section is not child support — it covers shared costs.

Parents will share agreed-upon expenses such as:

Medical or dental costs not covered by insurance
Therapy or counseling
Childcare or after-school programs
School supplies, activity fees, extracurricular costs
Travel related to parenting time

Cost-sharing arrangement:

☐ 50/50 split
☐ Based on income percentage
☐ Other: __________________________
Parents will provide receipts and reimburse each other within ____ days.

Education

Parents agree to:

Share school information records
Attend school events if possible
Communicate about academic needs
Make major educational decisions as outlined in Section 2
School designation (if required for enrollment):

________________________________________________________________________________

Health Care

Parents agree to:

Share medical updates
Notify each other of appointments
Consult about major medical decisions
Share insurance information
Insurance for the child will be provided by:

________________________________________________________________________________

Safety Guidelines

Safety Guidelines (Optional)

Parents may include guidelines such as:

No substance use during parenting time
Safe firearm storage
Age-appropriate supervision
Third-party safety rules
Sleep arrangements
Optional safety agreements:

________________________________________________________________________________

Dispute Resolution

Before returning to court, parents agree to attempt:

Direct discussion
Written communication
Mediation or neutral third-party assistance

If issues remain unresolved, either parent may seek legal guidance.

Modifying the Parenting Plan

Parents may modify the plan if:

Both agree in writing, or
A court approves changes when circumstances have substantially changed

Signatures

This plan reflects the parents’ current agreements and intention to support their child’s well-being.

Parent 1: _____________________________________________ Date: _____________________
Parent 2: _____________________________________________ Date: _____________________