eli5: how is it that human doesnt remember anything from first several years of their life?

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We took our now 3,5 years old son for a trip to USA last fall … so he was 2,5 years old that time. We live in Europe. Next week i am traveling there again so i spoke with him about me traveling to USA and he started asking me questions about places we were last year. Also he was telling me many specific memories from that trip last year and was asking me about specific people we have met. That is not surprising, it was last year. But how is it possible, that he will not remember anything from it 15 years from now if he remember it year after? I mean, he will not remember he was in USA at all.
I would understand that kids and toddlers keep forgetting stuff and thats why they will never remember them as an adults. But if they remember things from year or more ago, why will they forgett them as an adults?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

I have memories from when I was 3, possibly younger, on my grandfathers farm. And they are clear, vivid memories that i can’t even explain why I remember them. I also remember one of my aunts being around a lot when I was that age. My mom swears I shouldn’t remember her since she died when I was 4. However, I couldn’t tell you what I ate for breakfast yesterday without thinking about it for a second.

Some peoples memories are just different.

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