Coaching your own kid’s team is not an easy assignment. There are two very important questions you must ask before you take on the job:

Can I treat my athlete the same as the other kids on the team?

Does my child understand this that I am a coach first on the field, not a parent?

Even if you answer yes to the first question and your child answers yes to the second, there will still be conflicts between coaches, players and parents – all related to the one parent who is coaching his or her child.

When those irritants crop up, keep these things in mind:

Listen to your assistant coaches. Get objective opinions about each child's abilities. Not only will you get unbiased feedback, but you will have the support of fellow coaches if and when parents complain that you are favoring your own child.

Give fair treatment to all. On one hand you want to favor your child and on the other, you may want to be harder on them to prove they deserve playing time or a position. Outwardly, treat your own child as a member of the team. Inwardly, be your child’s biggest cheerleader.

Do not coach at home, unless your child asks. When you get home, take off your coach's hat and be a parent. Leave the coaching for the field. If your child wants to practice catching in the backyard that’s great, but make sure it’s what they want to do.

Prepare your kids for complainers. Teammates may complain to your child because they don't like something you did, sometimes even taunting them for decisions that were made by you. This is unfair and hurtful to kids, but it should be expected with this role.

Remind your kids that when you’re on the field, you are their coach. No “oh dad, do we have to?” comments are allowed. It's okay for your child to call you Dad or Mom but it’s not okay for him or her to try and control team decisions.

As a coach, if you can commit yourself to doing what's best for the entire team and not just your child, you should have a great season

Janis Meredith is a family life coach who wants to help all parents raise champions. You can find out more at rcfamilies.com.