I think topwater is a great way to introduce newbies to stripers ... granted, you can get them to manage the rod and reel first ... but what I have done in the past is set them up with an easy outfit to manage, not too big like a 9, 10 foot pole, rather a schoolie outfit ...
... don't make the access to difficult as that can hamper their desire, which you may want any way ...
... head to a spot that has been producing some nice schoolie action, with the possibility of a keeper-size schoolie (28-30) ... you know the spots from fishing with doc, TDF and yourself ... and then rig the rod with a floating plug ... either a Smack-It or a small danny as not too much is required to work those ...
... obviously the pop with the smack-it and the ultra slow retrieve with the Danny will make the stuff work ... tin/metal is another good alternative as they are steady takers ... catch him a dozen or so schoolies and call it an evening/morning ...
... if you want him to stop bugging you to take him fishing, go at midnight or 1 a.m., take him on a trecherous rocky area and give him a productive but difficult lure or bait to fish so that it turns him off.
Hybrid Mode
