question...

<?php

//which of this is faster...

// sort as you go
 $children = array();
  // its been requested that thes go in alphabetical order
  foreach($tree['children'] as $id => $family){
    $family['id'] = $id;
    $children[$family['name']] = $family;
    ksort($children);
  }


// OR

// sort at the end

 $children = array();
  // its been requested that thes go in alphabetical order
  foreach($tree['children'] as $id => $family){
    $family['id'] = $id;
    $children[$family['name']] = $family;
  }
  ksort($children)