He looks pissed off at you too!
I learned to fish with a conv but rarely use them anymore, spinners have advanced to become very reliable with excellent drags . Don't force him to fish with something that is difficult for the sake of being "old school". Granted if you need to throw 10 oz of lead a conv will be better...but a 2 oz plug..get him his own quality spinner.
Pic of me when I was 8: (circa 1964 or so...when spinning reels REALLY sucked))