Primary caregiver

Or ‘primary parent,’ is a term that is often used in agreements and court orders; however, it is not one that is defined anywhere in the law.  Sometimes, the term used is ‘primary residence’ or the phrase ‘the children reside primarily with Parent A’.

This term is used to make the wording of an agreement or order easier to understand. It does not mean that the primary caregiver has any extra authority or decision-making power over the other parent.