If over the last 3 generations.

[Theodoreb]

People were only allowed two children would you exist?

I wouldn't my nan was child number 5
My mum child number 2
And I was child number 1.

Yes I would, several families of 3 or 4 but the relevant person was first or second so I'd be ok.

I wouldn't at all. I'm the youngest of 4. My Mother was the youngest of 4 and my father the youngest of 3.

DH would have as he's the eldest of two. But MIL wouldn't as she's the 8th of 15. FIL was the eldest of 12 so he would have.

No, my mum was the 3rd child.

Grandad was #11
Nan was #1
Dad #9
Mother #2

No, my mum was the 3rd youngest of 14.

Me yes, nearly all two children families apart from my Grandad , last of three. His Mum was the eldest of 13

My OH's Dad was a triplet the last of 8

I don't know - I would as second child - my parents both have one sibling - my paternal Grandparents - I'd be fine as they were older kids - not sure about maternal.

Even my Mum didn't know parts of the family due to disagreements about her parents marraige and while we have looked up family histroy and trees for the kids - all four GP families down all the lines as far as we could which maternal lines often not as far- and I know there were more than two kids can't remember where my grandparents fell in birth order or much else really.

No!
I don’t actually know about my grandparents but Dad was 9/10 and mum 6/6

Yes, grandparents were either first or only children. Both my parents are first born... I am 2nd. Pew!

I don't think any of my grandparents would be here, my Dad's parents certainly wouldn't have been as GM was youngest of 14 and GF was youngest of 15 (that isn't counting any that didn't survive childhood either)!
I'm not sure the birth order of my mother's parents but there were at least 6 children in each family and I don't think either grandparent was in the first 2. Even if they were, my DM is the youngest of 8 so she wouldn't be here anyway.

No. I am an only, and DM is the eldest (of 3) - but her mam was 3rd of 5.

For me it would very much depend on if it was 2 children per marriage or per person. I was my mums first but my dads 7th!

I guess it depends on the year you introduced it, not the no of generations. If I'm 20 and have two kids, my mom might be 40 and my granny 60. Possibly even 18, 36 and 54 so affected by a policy from 1960 onwards Vs me being 40, my mom being 80 and grandma being 120 so a policy from the turn of the previous century.

And this also shows how what matters more for population reduction is actually the age you have children. That family who generation after generation have 2 children in their 20s produce more descendants than a family who have 3 children in their 40s in the same time period. Which is why education and opportunities are so important, women delay parenthood when they have other options.

So am I forgiven for having 3 cos I was 33 and 38 when I had them?

I would. Grandmother was 1, grandfather 2, my mum was 2 and I was 1. On my mum's side anyway. No idea about my biological father (I don't know him).

No, my dad is the youngest of 4!

Of those I know, my mother is only one I know that would mean a no as she was fourth (unless I'd somehow exist through my father having kids with someone else).

No chance, the numbers have come down though, I'm 1 of (only!) 4.
Was thinking about this the other day, friend is an only of 2 onlies and is consequently loaded.
I'm happy with my big, poor family though ❤️

No - my nana was 4th of 9 and my mum was the 4th of 7.
My granny was the 3rd of 5 and my dad was the 5th of 8.

I am the oldest of 2 and I have 3.

Me: child 1

Parent 1: child "2". Technically 3rd but oldee sibling died in infancy so probably would count as child 2.
Parent 2: child 2

Maternal Grandparents, both child 1
Paternal Grandparents, I think 1 was one of 2, not sure onnthe other, but the family was 2 or 3.

My odds are favourable.

My children have a granny older than their great grandmas! The generation gaps in my family are more consensed than in DH's. His DM had a late start, but produced 5 in 7 years. My family also has very spread generations. As the oldest of the oldest (child prodicing) of the oldest, I'm 35 years older than a cousin and older than half of DM's cousins. Being old enough to be DB's mother, it's going to be a long time before my DCs get genuine cousins on that side and will likely to be adults first!

Probably! Both grandmothers were around 3rd or 4th of large families - one at least 15, the other was, I think, 3rd of 8. I don’t know about GFs. Dad was 2nd of two, mum eldest of 3.

Nope my dad is 6th out of 10 so he wouldn't be meaning I wouldn't be!

Nope!

My mum was 3rd, her mum was 8th!
My dad was 1st though & his mum was 2nd... so, half of me?

No.
My grandad was child number 13 of the surviving children (15th altogether). My other grandad was child number 3.
My mum was child number 3.

Both of my parents and DH’s parents wouldn’t exist. On my mum’s side alone that would be 9 less people!