My favorite time of day is pre-dawn. I’m the first one in the family to rise in the morning, so this is my time of solitude — when I can do what I want without anyone interrupting me.

After an hour or two of solitude, I typically wake my eldest child so she can get ready for school. We eat breakfast together, and then I ride her to school and walk her, holding hands, to her second-grade classroom. This is the only time of the day when I’m alone with her, and it’s a special ritual for us.

I love all my children, but I think I’ll always have a special bond with the eldest. I remember, when my second child was born, telling my mother that I didn’t think I could love this new child as much as the eldest. Of course, I was wrong, but I still have a deep affection for the kid that started it all.