ProverbHuman NatureEnglish origin

Children suck the mother when they are young, and the father when they are old.

Meaning: Offspring depend on maternal care initially, then seek paternal resources and guidance as they mature.

Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.

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