Bernard O'Shea: 'I’d pass on the budgie smuggler and go with the togs instead'

I didn’t learn to swim until I was in my 30’s. I wish I hadn’t left it as long. Here are my top tips for anyone who wants to learn to swim later in life
Bernard O'Shea: 'I’d pass on the budgie smuggler and go with the togs instead'

Not actual footage of Bernard learning how to swim. Pic: Istock.

I didn’t learn to swim until I was in my 30s. I wish I hadn’t left it as long. I missed out on 50% of the fun on sun holidays and was petrified to go on the water. But it taught me one thing. It's never too late to learn, regardless of how late you leave it.

Today most kids are in the water from an early age. Our kids went to ' Water Babies' and now go to the local pool for lessons. Like driving a car under the guidance of a qualified instructor, they learned correctly. They have certain things embedded into them about safety too. On a recent trip to the beach, my six and 8-year-old informed me about the red and yellow flags, and where to swim. I wish I could pat myself on the back, but it's down to good instructors. The days of being thrown into the water and told, "it will happen naturally" devastated people's confidence and destroyed any hope of enjoying the water.

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