Today's Children was a name shared by two thematically related American radio

Radio in the United States

Radio is one of the major mass media of the United States.-History:The beginning of regular commercially licensed sound broadcasting in the United States in 1920 ended the print monopoly over the media and opened the doors to the more immediate and pervasive electronic media...

 soap opera

Soap opera

A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

s created and written by Irna Phillips

Irna Phillips

Irna Phillips was an American actress and most notably writer who created and scripted many of the first American soap operas.Phillips created radio and TV soap operas including:...

, the earliest of which was her first nationally networked series.

1933-1938 series

The original series, which debuted on September 11, 1933, revolved around the large Moran clan, headed by widow Mary "Mother" Moran, who was voiced by Phillips herself. Mother Moran had three adult children—Terry, Frances, and Eileen—whose troubles she dealt with using what promotional materials called "warm-hearted understanding and a common-sense philosophy."

The creation of the series was a direct result of Phillips' resignation from her pioneering WGN

WGN (AM)

WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...

 series Painted Dreams

Painted Dreams

Painted Dreams is an American radio soap opera that was the first daytime radio soap opera program in the United States. It premiered October 20, 1930 and last aired in July, 1943....

when the station refused to allow her to take the program to a network. As a result of the station's decision, she created Children for NBC-owned WMAQ as a thinly disguised version of the earlier series. When Phillips' mother, who was the inspiration for Mother Moran, died in 1937, she lost her inspiration for continuing the series.
The series ended on December 31, 1937, replaced in the new year by another Phillips creation, Woman in White.

1943-1950 series

Six years following the end of the original series, Phillips created a new serial bearing the Today's Children title which began on December 13, 1943 over NBC, related to the original series only by its general dramatic themes and the setting of Chicago's Hester Street. The new serial followed the family of Mama and Papa Schultz, played Virginia Payne

Virginia Payne

Virginia Payne was an American radio actress, best known for her 27-year role as Ma Perkins. In 1939, in addition to Ma Perkins, she took over the role of Mrs...

 and Murray Forbes.

Originally, the series was one of three Phillips-created serials which made up the General Mills Hour, with characters and plots crossing over between Children, The Guiding Light

Guiding Light

Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...

, and Woman In White. Although Phillips was integral in plotting the revived series, the dialogue was written by Virginia Cooke. The second version of Today's Children ended on June 2, 1950.