Child's pig, but father's bacon.

Meaning: A child enjoys raising the pig, but the parent bears the real costs and consequences of its care.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Human Nature

• Children are poor men's riches. — Offspring provide intangible wealth to those lacking material resources through love, pur…
• He is in clover. — Prosperity and contentment come from finding oneself in favorable, comfortable circumstan…
• Courts have no almanacks. — Judges decide cases based on evidence and law, not predetermined schedules or predictable…
• Great cry and little wool. — Loud complaints about shearing yield disappointingly meager results, warning against mist…
• Custom is second nature. — Habits ingrained through repetition become as automatic and instinctive as inborn traits.
• Many drops make a shower. — Small, repeated contributions accumulate into something substantial and significant.

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