diff --git a/lib/lutaml/model/mapping_rule.rb b/lib/lutaml/model/mapping_rule.rb
index d8fb83d..e383b56 100644
--- a/lib/lutaml/model/mapping_rule.rb
+++ b/lib/lutaml/model/mapping_rule.rb
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ def serialize_attribute(model, element, doc)
         end
       end
 
-      def serialize(model, value)
+      def serialize(model, parent = nil, doc = nil)
         if custom_methods[:to]
-          model.send(custom_methods[:to], model, value)
+          model.send(custom_methods[:to], model, parent, doc)
+        elsif delegate
+          model.public_send(delegate).public_send(to)
         else
-          value
+          model.public_send(to)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/lutaml/model/serialize.rb b/lib/lutaml/model/serialize.rb
index 49cba2c..171dedb 100644
--- a/lib/lutaml/model/serialize.rb
+++ b/lib/lutaml/model/serialize.rb
@@ -40,11 +40,30 @@ def inherited(subclass)
         def model(klass = nil)
           if klass
             @model = klass
+            add_order_handling_methods_to_model(klass)
           else
             @model
           end
         end
 
+        def add_order_handling_methods_to_model(klass)
+          Utils.add_method_if_not_defined(klass, :ordered=) do |ordered|
+            @ordered = ordered
+          end
+
+          Utils.add_method_if_not_defined(klass, :ordered?) do
+            !!@ordered
+          end
+
+          Utils.add_method_if_not_defined(klass, :element_order=) do |order|
+            @element_order = order
+          end
+
+          Utils.add_method_if_not_defined(klass, :element_order) do
+            @element_order
+          end
+        end
+
         def cast(value)
           value
         end
diff --git a/lib/lutaml/model/utils.rb b/lib/lutaml/model/utils.rb
index 1dccf29..e528c9b 100644
--- a/lib/lutaml/model/utils.rb
+++ b/lib/lutaml/model/utils.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ def blank?(value)
           value.respond_to?(:empty?) ? value.empty? : !value
         end
 
+        def add_method_if_not_defined(klass, method_name, &block)
+          unless klass.method_defined?(method_name)
+            klass.class_eval do
+              define_method(method_name, &block)
+            end
+          end
+        end
+
         private
 
         def camelize_part(part)
diff --git a/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/nokogiri_adapter.rb b/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/nokogiri_adapter.rb
index 52aa690..9009d4f 100644
--- a/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/nokogiri_adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/nokogiri_adapter.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def build_ordered_element(xml, element, options = {})
               value = attribute_value_for(element, element_rule)
 
               if element_rule == xml_mapping.content_mapping
-                text = element.send(xml_mapping.content_mapping.to)
+                text = xml_mapping.content_mapping.serialize(element)
                 text = text[curr_index] if text.is_a?(Array)
 
                 prefixed_xml.text text
diff --git a/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/xml_document.rb b/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/xml_document.rb
index 47abed4..428adb9 100644
--- a/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/xml_document.rb
+++ b/lib/lutaml/model/xml_adapter/xml_document.rb
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def build_unordered_element(xml, element, options = {})
                 @root.send(content_rule.custom_methods[:to], element,
                            prefixed_xml.parent, prefixed_xml)
               else
-                text = element.send(content_rule.to)
+                text = content_rule.serialize(element)
                 text = text.join if text.is_a?(Array)
                 prefixed_xml.add_text(xml, text)
               end
diff --git a/spec/lutaml/model/custom_model_spec.rb b/spec/lutaml/model/custom_model_spec.rb
index c1484f8..ccd55b5 100644
--- a/spec/lutaml/model/custom_model_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lutaml/model/custom_model_spec.rb
@@ -58,6 +58,40 @@ def child_from_xml(model, value)
   end
 end
 
+module CustomModelSpecs
+  class TextElement < Lutaml::Model::Serializable
+    attribute :sup, :string
+    attribute :sub, :string
+    attribute :text, :string
+
+    xml do
+      root "text-element"
+
+      map_content to: :text
+
+      map_element "sup", to: :sup
+      map_element "sub", to: :sub
+    end
+  end
+
+  class Id
+    attr_accessor :id
+  end
+
+  class Docid < Lutaml::Model::Serializable
+    model Id
+    attribute :id, TextElement
+
+    xml do
+      root "docid", mixed: true
+
+      map_content to: :text, delegate: :id
+      map_element :sub, to: :sub, delegate: :id
+      map_element :sup, to: :sup, delegate: :id
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 RSpec.describe "CustomModel" do
   let(:parent_mapper) { CustomModelParentMapper }
   let(:child_mapper) { CustomModelChildMapper }
@@ -272,6 +306,14 @@ def child_from_xml(model, value)
         expect(instance.child_mapper.street).to eq("Custom Avenue")
         expect(instance.child_mapper.city).to eq("New City")
       end
+
+      it "uses delegate to for child mapper class" do
+        xml = "<docid>Str<sub>2</sub>text<sup>1</sup>123</docid>"
+
+        docid = CustomModelSpecs::Docid.from_xml(xml)
+
+        expect(CustomModelSpecs::Docid.to_xml(docid)).to eq(xml)
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lutaml/model/serializable_spec.rb b/spec/lutaml/model/serializable_spec.rb
index b8bcdd7..132cbe8 100644
--- a/spec/lutaml/model/serializable_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lutaml/model/serializable_spec.rb
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ class GlazeTechnique < Lutaml::Model::Serializable
 RSpec.describe Lutaml::Model::Serializable do
   describe ".model" do
     it "sets the model for the class" do
-      expect { described_class.model("Foo") }.to change(described_class, :model)
+      expect { described_class.model(TestModel) }.to change(described_class, :model)
         .from(nil)
-        .to("Foo")
+        .to(TestModel)
     end
   end