What do you do when the kids fly the coop? That’s the question keeping Bec Hewitt up at night lately.
According to our sources, it’s been an emotional roller-coaster for the 42-year-old who is struggling to adjust now that she and husband Lleyton’s three children – Mia, 20, Cruz, 17, and Ava, 15- are all grown-up and forging their own paths without her.
“Bec is bored,” the source tells us.
“For the last 20 years, she’s been a full-time mum, and now with the kids off doing their own thing, and with Lleyton’s ceaseless devotion to tennis, Bec’s been left with nothing to do.”
“As the kids get older, Bec’s seeing less and less of them, which makes her sad,” our source adds.
“She’s twiddling her thumbs trying to find something meaningful to do with all of her spare time, but she’s finding it difficult.”
While Mia is currently embracing her “hippie era” and gigging around the country with her indie band, Father’s Favourite, son Cruz has been dedicating his time to pursuing his tennis career out of his father’s shadow. Even the youngest daughter and Bec’s mini-me, Ava, doesn’t have much time for her mum anymore. The budding TV star is either at dance practice or hanging with her friends.
“They love their mum – and Lleyton does, too – but they’re all so busy they can’t see that Bec is actually finding it tough without them.”
And if ever there was an image to capture just how Bec is feeling right now, the former Home and Away star’s downcast appearance, while watching Cruz and Lleyton play doubles at an ATP Challenger event in Sydney in November, would be it.
Dressed casually, Bec could barely crack a smile. Daughters Mia and Ava joined her in the stands for a time, but “seemed preoccupied,” an onlooker told New Idea.
“Bec’s happy the kids are all following their dreams, but she can’t help but feel like she has no one at the moment.”
The source adds that Lleyton, 44, is trying to be a supportive husband by encouraging Bec to find a hobby; however, he also has a lot on his plate, especially with the Australian Open just weeks away.
“Lleyton has been telling Bec to reach out to some of her girlfriends, like Isla [Fisher], to help her get her mojo back, or some of her old TV contacts, but Bec is a private person, and the last thing she wants is to throw a pity party,” the insider continues.
Meanwhile, a separate source says that while “Bec has always resisted”, perhaps now is the right time for her to get back into acting. And Summer Bay would always welcome back one of their favourites with open arms.
“Even if it was just a guest role. Why not? Stephen Peacocke and Bonnie Sveen’s recent decision to reprise their roles could be just the encouragement she needs to return to her old stomping ground.”
