Distant Move

My wife told me this evening that I seemed a little distant. I don't think I was as engaged with the kids as I normally would be. It has been about a week since we've done any packing for the move coming up in a month, and I looked around at all that we still had to do. I think I clicked into "duty mode," which is a mode that men tend to get into when they get stressed. Their minds are consumed by one thought: "I need to accomplish something." So strong is that impulse that nothing else seems to matter--playing with the kids, or even disciplining the kids. Oddly, although I was less connected, I wasn't as strict. I think it was because I either didn't notice or I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with it. Thankfully, I held it together until the kids were in bed, then made sure to progress to a satisfying point in the packing. I guess it's true that men only have the emotional capacity of a tea spoon (Harry Potter reference).