A convention of newspaper headline writing is to suggest by the use of verb tense that a thing that has already happened is now happening. The present sounds more compelling than the past, so the headline reads something like "Governor signs mask mandate." If he had not already signed it, the headline would not say so.

Tragically, the initial act of war is a case where present tense means just what it says. The catastrophe that happened is still happening. "Russia invades Ukraine" describes not only the start of the invasion early Thursday but the reality Ukraine now faces.

That is the latest example of a headline that forebodes the brutal suffering of a war begun, continuing, and aftermath. No one wanted to see that headline except for the aggressor, Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose hellbent desire to take Ukraine is behind this. The systems set up after World War II to resolve disputes and balance power are of no concern to Putin, who ignored a United Nations Security Council vote and is out to lessen the effectiveness of NATO.

Readers of The Day and theday.com will recognize that one way the newspaper carries out its mission to keep them informed on local matters is to find and report on significant connections to global news. It is not hard to figure out that a NATO-involved war will include participation by the U.S. Navy, nor to recognize the effect that can have on the many Navy families who live here and whose children attend school in Groton, Ledyard and surrounding towns. Communities of Ukrainian Americans in Colchester and Stamford have family still living in what is now a country at war. Many more have relatives in neighboring Poland, where thousands of people fleeing their homes will head.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, was correct to remind us as news of the invasion broke that "every democracy has a stake in protecting the international rule of law and supporting the brave people of Ukraine."

We have something even more specific at stake in what this means for children, not only in Ukraine, but here and around the world, and not only military families but all families.

For the past two years the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted their young lives with loss of schooling, isolation from friends, and illness and even deaths in their families. Older children and teenagers may be aware of other, ongoing crises such as those in Afghanistan and at the U.S.-Mexican border. They share the general anxiety but have been showing the special strains of a prolonged crisis on developing minds, emotions and bodies. Schools and state officials are responding with plans and funding to address mental health issues in children and teenagers.

The international crisis taking place in Ukraine adds to the stresses. If many Americans were not paying attention to Russia's threats to invade a country that is geographically far from here, that changes now. The front page of Thursday's newspaper drew smiles with a photo of exuberant 6-year-olds playing tennis at Waterford Beach Park on a warm late winter's day. But a decision to stop the press and capture the breaking news of war changed the top of Page 1 after the first thousand copies. The new lead headline was "Russia's Putin announces military operation in Ukraine." In a flash, the focus shifted from here to there, from childhood games to war.

After being called on for two years to guide children through an epidemic for which there were no parenting prep classes, adults now face a new challenge. They must help children feel secure in a suddenly more insecure world. Kids will hear news and catch sight of headlines. They may already be aware that children in Ukraine are living with real, physical danger. They may fear it could happen to them.

Once again we will be asking more of ourselves, our children's teachers, the mental health professionals in their schools and the other adults in their lives. Children need to know that responsible adults are doing their jobs to deal with these emergencies, even if this becomes another long-term crisis. They need to hear that it is not their job to fix any of this. They need honesty. And they need to be able to be kids.

Lisa McGinley is a member of The Day Editorial Board.