Mom Shows Kids Throwing Out Old Toys, Then Reveals Why She's Heartbroken

Newsweek

04-06-2025

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A mom's seemingly ordinary task of having her children sort through old toys for donation turned into a reflection on time and growth, leaving her "mama-heart breaking."
An Instagram reel shared by Ashley Knollenberg depicted a familiar scene: her children adding toys to a donation pile in their yard. But, she said, all she can see is the smaller version of her kids getting the toy for the first time. Since the reel was shared via @tripswithdolewhips, it has received over 121,000 likes. Knollenberg, 40, told Newsweek about her feelings and what she hopes her kids learn from passing them on.
"How they think I see them as toys get added to the donation pile," Knollenberg wrote over a video of her children playing in their yard. "How I actually see them." The footage cuts to a precious baby clip of one of her children, receiving one of the very toys now being donated.
Photos from Ashley Knollenberg's Instagram reel of her children playing in the garden with their toys.
Photos from Ashley Knollenberg's Instagram reel of her children playing in the garden with their toys.
@tripswithdolewhips/Instagram
"Does anyone else feel their mama-heart breaking when it's time to part ways with old toys?" Knollenberg asked in her caption. "It's not even about the stuff, it's about the way your kids just grow right before your eyes. How you can't even believe they once fit in the things they're now way too big for."
Knollenberg said she was inspired to make the clip after looking back on her photos and videos of her 7- and 9-year old—especially those at Christmastime.
"I put so much thought and care into making holidays special for my kids and love to see the joy on their faces," Knollenberg said. "My husband and I both realized this past Christmas that it was the first Christmas Eve that we weren't up late putting big toys together, and it was such a strange feeling."
Despite the bittersweet nostalgia, Knollenberg said she knows that the process of passing the toys along is important to her children's growth.
"I hope they see that material objects are not what make you happy; it's really the memories and time spent together that's the most important," she said. "Everything was gone within 30 minutes. It makes me so happy to think of other children playing with the toys that were just collecting dust in our garage."
A Full-Circle Moment
The universal sentiment resonated deeply with other parents on Instagram, with many expressing similar feelings.
"Don't do this to me, my kids are the young age right now," one person wrote. "The thought of them getting older breaks my heart every day."
"So THIS is why I record every waking moment of my son's life," another posted, revealing her coping mechanism.
And, in a touching turn of events, the algorithm also brought an unexpected message to Knollenberg.
"The algorithm brought me somehow to your page," a woman commented. "We picked up your Little Tykes bike, slide and Paw Patrol car for our little guy! We know he will enjoy it just as much as your little ones did and now make his own memories on them! Thank you!"
This interaction transformed the act of letting go for Knollenberg, who responded with gratitude: "This makes me so happy, thank you for sharing. I hope your son enjoys all of the new toys. It was time to pass it along to someone else."
While decluttering toys can be a chore, for parents, it is often a moment of grief for the fleeting years of childhood—one that can, apparently, have far-reaching impacts.