Growing up

I don't understand why everyone I know is getting married and having children?! I am so confused by why this is ok. I thought we were suppose to have fun figure out what we want out of life and then decide weather or not to marry the guy/girl we've been seeing for years or to have children. Why is everyone rushing? I am not saying people shouldn't get married or have children. I'm just wondering why I know so many people that decided to jump the gun and give up on their own hopes and dreams to take care of their childrens hopes and dreams.
I just feel like I might be behind at times. I don't want the husband and the kids and the white picket fence. I would like to find happiness with someone some day. I want to be able to have everything to a certain degree. I also wanna know why women/girls who do have children always freak out on me when I complain about my life, and that I can not have an opinion on weather or not someone is doing a good job parenting. Just because I don't have a child and I don't know what it's like to give everything up doesn't mean that my feelings about situations are invalid. I almost feel like some women/girls I come across in my life despise me. I don't wanna be despised over the fact that I didn't take that road. Sometimes I think they should feel bad for me because I can't make a huge commitment like having a child or getting married, that I am to selfish to give up all the me time I want and have the chance to date as little or as many guys as I want. Some days it bothers me that I'm on this crazy road that I never know what I am doing or not doing. I am just as lost as a new mom.