Children’s biggest fears and dreams country by country (it will break your heart)

When I was little I was afraid of the dark - my parents left the hall light on and I slept much better.

Nobody wants to think of little children being afraid. That's why this list of fears in children aged 7-17 from around the world will make you stop and think. Compiled by World Vision - the idea is based on the contrast between the violence which has left an indelible mark on Syria's children and others around the world. The charity says that they wanted to illustrate how children in relatively safe countries can better understand how exposure to violence can influence a child's view of the world and their ability to remain hopeful.   73%of Canadian children fear spiders, 38% of those in New Zealand have typical fears like heights and sharks, while in Syria 43% of children are scared of airstrikes and explosions. In Ireland, 31% of kids say they fear for their safety often referencing war and abduction. Equally as heartbreaking were the responses about their dreams for the future: Irish kids dream of having a good job when they grow up. Many Canadian kids want to be professional athletes while half of all Syrian children dream simply of having peace and returning home to their country. 15% of Syrian children surveyed by World Vision said that their biggest fear was losing a family member. 16-year-old Mohammed was one of those children - when his dad and uncle were shot he fled Syria with his sisters to Jordan. As they left their home behind, he realised the importance of family and that his biggest fear was something happening to his younger sisters.   “It was a beautiful life. I had all my family. Everything we needed. I suppose you don’t realise what you have until you don’t have it anymore.” You can find more information on this survey here