Teresa Santoski

Siblings tend to have a fair amount in common. They might have the same eye or hair color, or maybe they all share their father’s sense of humor or their mother’s design sense. When it comes to having similar personality traits, however, all bets are off, and my siblings and I are living proof of this.

Several years ago, Mom attempted to liven up a particularly dull car ride by having us kids take a personality test she had found online. The test in question was the Four Animals Personality Test, developed by Dr. John Trent and Gary Smalley.

As its name implies, the test helps you determine which of four archetypal personalities you have.

Each personality is represented by a different animal.

You can be a lion, an otter, a Golden Retriever or a beaver. Oldest Younger Brother was not in the car with us, so we took the test on his behalf.

Lo and behold, each of us siblings had a different animal as a result. Amongst the four of us, we embody the entire personality spectrum of that test.

According to her results, Younger Sister is a lion. Lions are reliable leaders and skilled problem-solvers who are extroverted and hard-working. Conversely, they can be impatient and irritable, especially when they feel like their productivity is being hampered or their goals are being thwarted.

The lion personality profile fits Younger Sister to a T. If ever I find myself in an emergency situation and I can’t reach Mom or Dad, Younger Sister is the next person I’d call because I know she’ll come through and take care of everything. That’s not something you can say about every 23-year-old.

Youngest Brother’s test results indicate that he is an otter. Otters are cheerful, talkative extroverts who make friends easily and are great at motivating and inspiring others. On the flip side, otters can easily become distracted and lose their focus, especially when they have to pay attention to something they find boring.

When Youngest Brother was in elementary school, he had a teacher who would intentionally seat him next to students who were new or shy. The teacher knew that Youngest Brother would immediately make friends with that student and help them get to know their other classmates.

As a 25-year-old, he continues to be a one-man welcome wagon and a classic otter.

Oldest Younger Brother is a Golden Retriever. Golden Retrievers are the epitome of loyalty and are known for being accommodating, sympathetic, helpful and introverted. They do have to be careful, however, that they aren’t taken advantage of as they seek to take care of others.

Oldest Younger Brother has always been the one in his friend group whom everyone turns to when they need help. During his senior year of college, he shared an apartment with several female friends. When we were helping him move in, the mother of one of the girls told Dad how glad she was that Oldest Younger Brother was living there because he was a decent, kindhearted guy who would make sure the girls were safe. And he did exactly that.

That leaves one animal – the beaver – and yes, that’s me. Beavers are all about following the rules. They are introverted, detail-oriented and have high standards for themselves and others.

This, however, can translate into perfectionism, inflexibility and stubbornness.

Thankfully, I can attest to the fact that as you grow older and more aware of your strengths and weaknesses, your negative personality traits start to mellow somewhat. I’ve learned to recognize when I’m following the rules for the right reasons – such as correcting grammar and factual errors in a piece I’m editing – and when I’m following the rules simply because they’re the rules.

A perfect example of the latter are the seasonal hand soaps I put out on my bathroom sink. According to beaver logic, since it is currently spring, the spring hand soaps should be out. These are all light floral and fruit scents that are in keeping with the vibe of the season.

But! I stocked up on summer hand soaps ahead of time (beavers like to be prepared), and now I kind of want to try them. These are tropical, beachy scents that are more specific to summer.

I decided that I was going to have to wait and use them in the appropriate season, and then I caught myself. Who says I can’t use pineapple hand soap in May? I made those rules, and I can break them, beaver logic be dammed.

I’m still waiting for summer to bring out my pink flamingo soap holder, though. I’ve learned to be more flexible, but it’s not like I’m going off the rails here.

Though being related may result in siblings having similar facial features, it does not mean that they will have similar personalities. And that’s not a bad thing.

My siblings and I represent the entire menagerie of the Four Animals Personality Test, and our family is richer for it.

Each sibling’s strengths compensate for another sibling’s weaknesses. As individuals, we each have our challenges, but together, we can do anything.

Tete-a-tete is published monthly. Teresa Santoski can be reached at tsantoski@gmail.com or via www.teresasantoski.com.