It's only mandatory if you're 10 years old.
Well - my situation is different. Im only 18 years old, and fading while living at home is hard. Unless i want to rise suspicions i cant remove, i have to study with this elder. My condition for the study though, is that i raise the questions, and i decide what we should talk about. But within a week i wont be living home anymore, since my parents have "thrown" me out (they cant take that i once/twice a week show them another thing about the Org that is unbiblical). And when im out i can begin fading in a different way - so i am looking forward to that.