I wouldn't have a problem with a 30/30, dad should be right next to him the whole time anyway so he will hold off any hail mary shots type shots anyway.
With my oldest boy the first few years he hunted I bought reduced recoil loads for practicing, then would sight in the gun with normal shells (it was always really close anyway), and that his what he would use for hunting. When shooting while hunting he didn't notice any difference. He didn't know I did that until a few years after when his little brother started to hunt and I did the same with him.