Why "Caregiver", not "Parent"?
Why "Caregiver" is A More Apt Term
You’ll notice in our future posts that we use the term “caregiver” (or “parent/caregiver”) instead of just “parent” and we want to give you a little insight into why:
”Parent” can be a limiting term that most often refers to a child’s biological parent. But a child’s biological parent may not always be the one who cares for, loves and raises them.
For some keiki, that person may be their Aunty, Uncle, Tūtū (grandma), Papa (grandpa) or even a hanai/foster parent.Some keiki may be primarily raised by their biological parent/s but they spend a lot of their time with other family members because childcare is expensive and many parents work multiple jobs.For keiki who attend school or childcare between ages 0-5, their teachers and sitters also play a special role in their life.
By using the term “caregiver”, we acknowledge everyone in a keiki’s life who play a part in caring for, loving and raising them.