Situation way back as Commercial Helicopter Instructor. Night rating requirments to include dual and solo crosscountry. The CAA considered the solo requirment to be 'too dangerous' to let such low time students go solo (flying over the south of England). The compromise was the have us as instructors sit, with his arms folded, silent, doing nothing (except breathing) there for engine failure etc only. The student had to 'do it all himself' this was logged as P1(s). Each student said on return how good it was to take their first 'passenger' for a flight.
Why not try going along and promising Not to do / say anything unless its a Real Emergency.