We’re all here today thanks to the strength of our mothers. Beyond their capacity to love and care for their kids and family, they hold so much more than the weight of motherhood.
Motherhood is often described in sweeping terms: selfless, tireless, unconditional. But for Trixie Renggli, a property manager, real estate consultant, and mother of two, being present in all the roles she plays means something more specific than that. It means showing up fully, not just for her kids and her work, but for herself too.
Raising her kids is not a solo affair. “Being an active, present mom but also a working mom is really schedule-dependent. My husband and I are a team,” she says. She and her husband share responsibilities both at home and in real estate, making it a point to always be present in their children’s lives. “If one of us is with the kids, the other will be working,” she adds, emphasizing how important flexibility is in both parenting and managing a business—where in both cases, something will always come up.
The day usually starts with sending the kids to school. After that, coffee, preparation, and then it’s either client meetings or property viewings. Depending on their schedules, she and her husband pick up their kids from school separately, and they make it a point to have dinner together. In a relatively easy week, Trixie gets to squeeze in some time for herself: a walk, yoga, time with her books, or a Korean drama. Small pockets of rest that she’s learned not to take for granted.
When Things Have to Give
Someone who’s uncompromising and passionate in the work they do—be it as a mother, a working professional, or an active part of the community—will face challenges no matter how much they love playing all these roles. For Trixie, when the difficult stretches come, it matters most to just show up for herself.
“It all comes down to the choices you make. Something has to give because there are only so many hours in a day, but so long as those choices are yours and make you and your family happy and secure, then make them.”
The moment she became a mother, she decided to be truly, fully present. “I didn’t want to miss anything. They are and always will be my number one priority.”
Being able to raise well-informed and kind kids—a teen who feels safe around her, and a preteen who’s compassionate and respectful of women—is proof enough that her efforts haven’t been in vain. “Life as a mom is going to be chaotic. It’s wild, but we grow together, and it’s the most fulfilling role I’ve had the honor of doing.”
Not Like in Books
Movies and books follow some sort of pattern: a setting, a plot, conflicts, and characters that follow an archetype. We’ve seen the nurturing and loving mother archetype in shows and books—the one who manages to have all the energy and patience to fulfill the needs of their family. Media has repeatedly shown an idyllic version of motherhood while quietly pressuring women into becoming the ideal. Trixie has felt that pressure too, and she’s made peace with rejecting it.
“You grow up, and movies and magazines show you a type of motherhood you imagine it to be, but it really is not. Motherhood is such a personal journey—nobody mothers the same. Each mother is unique and different because of that.” Honoring and celebrating those differences, she believes, is what makes motherhood worthwhile.
If she could go back, her advice to her younger self would be simple: “Life is not like a book. It’s so unpredictable and so full of challenges; you can’t just skip to the good part. Throw the book out the window! Live in the moment, and just try to enjoy it; do the best you can every day. There are no sure answers!”
Happier Mom, Happier Kids
You can’t pour from an empty cup. This saying gets thrown around often, but for caregivers, this rings very true.
When you give so much of yourself—your time, your energy, your presence—it can quietly start to deplete you. Trixie is clear about this. “When you’re so giving of yourself, your time, and your energy, it could get lonely; it can deplete you. Having moments where you can connect back to who you were before you were a mom is incredibly important.”
For her, that looks like a two-hour walk when she can get away with it, or a yoga class that doubles as a chance to connect with other moms. These aren’t luxuries. They’re how she stays whole. “You don’t have to do it alone, and you should carve out some time for yourself. Happier mom, happier kids, definitely.”
For Every Working Mom Reading This
“First of all, you are doing enough. Mothering is the longest marathon, not the shortest sprint.”
“First of all, you are doing enough. You’re not supposed to be able to have it all; there are only 24 hours in a day,” Trixie says, advising her fellow mothers that approaching each day just trying your best and giving yourself a lot of grace when things fall apart some days are keys to being a working mom. “There’s a community of mothers out there always willing to help. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help!”
As a mother of two for fourteen years and counting, Trixie reminds us that mothering is the longest marathon, not the shortest sprint.
Photography Summer Demol
