I'm curious. What backs up the idea that the average number of children per individual will be 2 regardless of reproductive lifespan?
It seems that I've seen a somewhat(?) common pattern among people who have young families and get divorced that often times have another family (+2 children) when they re-marry.
The definition of equilibrium. Every child has 2 parents. Thus in each reproduction, every parent creates on average half a child (sounds rather morbid). Thus for the population to remain in equilibrium, each person needs to reproduce, on average, twice.
It seems that I've seen a somewhat(?) common pattern among people who have young families and get divorced that often times have another family (+2 children) when they re-marry.