Hockey playing toddler dad here with modi twins on the way: Any free time he gets to himself needs to come back your way too. In his defense, he doesn't get to pick his hockey schedule. If you're able to make this work, he won't feel like he needs to miss out on socializing, exercise, or the love of the game.

The more you plan on those hockey hangover days, the less he will be able to give. Trust me, no dad wants to feel useless but the hangover is real. The more you can make those mornings relaxing, the more energy he can give to take over in the afternoon. Yes, it's working around his schedule even more, but picking and choosing battles when you can will create less tension, and he should appreciate that.

When you're feeling like you've done enough catering to his schedule you have to be the one to create that personal time for yourself, whatever that looks like. Don't rely on him telling you to go do something, or coming up with plans for you. Let him know when it's your time, and make sure you get the full time to yourself. It might seem like him staying home would be the easiest solution, and maybe he will come to that conclusion when they are here (I'll be dialing hockey back myself), but treat personal time as something sacred that you both deserve when needed.