Five Essential Things You Can Learn About Your Significant Other from His or Her Siblings
Although their relationships with roommates, close friends, and parents may say a lot about their personality, how your partner interactions with his or siblings could give you the most insight into who they are as person. Brothers and sisters often share childhood memories and similar traits with your partner, making them the ones to watch if you are still trying to get to know him or her a little better. To understand what exactly you can learn about your significant other through his or her siblings, we spoke to two relationship experts and asked them to share key things to pick up on.
Related: What You Can Learn About Your Partner From The People In His Life
Their Siblings Can Share Lots of Childhood Memories
Because they grew up in the same house, your partner's siblings are the best people to go to for childhood memories—hearing stories about their past is an easy way to get to know them better, says relationship expert Dr. Dawn Michael, PhD. "Talking to a sibling can confirm some shared stories, dates, and times," she says. "It's best to sit back and watch the interaction your partner may have with a sibling, how they respond to each other, and how they talk about their parents, and even memories."
Their Siblings May Be More Inclined to Share Personal Details
Siblings tend to be close in age, too, which means they're more likely to share all those personal details his parents probably won't tell you, says Andrea Syrtash, relationship expert and author of He's Just Not Your Type (and That's a Good Thing). Some siblings are even closer with each other than they are with their parents, so you'll likely be able to get a truer picture of who your parter is as a person through their brothers and sisters.
You May Get an Idea of What He or She Be Like as a Parent
Syrtash says that your partner's relationships with his or her siblings can also give you insight into what they be like as a parent in the future. "For instance, if he's a responsible caring older brother or a bossy one, you may have a window into how he may be as a partner and or as a parent," she says.
Some Siblings Share Similar Personality Traits
It's not just shared childhood memories brothers and sisters have in common—siblings often share similar personality traits, explains Dr. Michael. This could give you a sense of your partner's overarching values. If, for example, your partner's siblings all seem to be in happy, committed relationships, or else married with children, there's a good chance this is his or her end goal, too. "Siblings share parents, other relatives, and family dynamics that are different then just a friend," she says. "They also may share some same characteristics due to genes, mannerisms, and being brought up together."
Their Relationship with Siblings of the Opposite May Reveal How They Treat Most Men or Women
Syrtash also notes that a man's relationship with his sister can clue you in to his attitudes towards women, especially if he has more than one in his family. "Many feel that men who grew up with a sister(s) have a better window into women—after all, chances are they grew up sharing a bathroom or meeting each other's dates and friends," she says. And how a woman interacts with her brothers can also tell you how she views relationships with men—is she one of the boys, or do the men in her life shield her from just about everything?
