Matrifocal family

A matrifocal family means that the mother is the center of the family. That doesn't mean the father isn't present or important, but the mother is considered to be the head of the household. It's like when you play a game with your friends and one of your friends is considered the "captain" of the team - they make decisions and the others follow along. In a matrifocal family, the mother is like the captain of the team.