Many kiss the child for the nurse's sake.

People may show affection or respect toward a child or other dependent chiefly to win the goodwill of the caregiver or influential person connected with them. Here “nurse” means a child’s caregiver, not necessarily a medical professional; the apparent kindness may be strategic rather than wholly personal.

The saying cautions that attention paid to one person can be an indirect approach to another whose approval or help is desired. It points to calculated favor-seeking, while not establishing that every kindness toward a connected person is insincere.

Use it wryly when someone courts a dependent, relative, or subordinate mainly to gain access to or favor with the more influential person connected to them, especially when a warm gesture appears calculated rather than personal.