Do parents force you to grow up before you're ready?

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As a child I grew up with my mother and my little brother. My mom always seemed to prefer my brother over me, but as the older sibling I was supposed to shrug it off and go on. Naturally I still hold a little resentment from those times, but being older I can understand how my mom needed an adult around for her and for my brother. Since my father wasn't in the picture until much later (he's still not really in it but at least I know who he is now) I was expected to be the strong one, the "man of the house" and because of that I really never felt my mother cared for me as a daughter. Of course now I have moved out, but as a result of the way I grew up I feel I never really had a childhood and I fear that my affect the way I raise my children (should I choose to have any). Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, got any advice?