I allready have tasker display the content of SMS on a screen below my TV so I don't have to pickup (or find) the phone to read it. (I'm lazy). I'm not sure I want to get a text every time he turn on the lights... it would alert me of his arrival though.
Like having him set the cloud endpoint as a bookmark? This a variation on the NFC tag. Would it be less fiddling for him?
The NFC tag works right away on my android. It was a pain to configure on his iphone. But in the end it is working well.
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You could also make a dashboard specific to control the lights and stuff he needs, then just give him the link.
It's still a lot more 'manual' than automated, but it's simple and easy.
Not sure I was clear...you wouldn't have to read or even see his texts...idea was his text would be seen on your phone by Tasker and Tasker would turn on outside path lighting to home.
But looks like you're up and running w/the NFC tag, so all is well. 
My phone notify me on every text received. Does Tasker has the ability to supress notifications on my phone base on SMS content?
Don't know about that, but I doubt it.
However, you can set the notification settings for texts on your phone per-user. E.g., you have a different set of notifications for one person from another. But, I doubt there is a way to make notification settings specific to a time of day if that's what you wanted/needed.
Since you'd only get the notifications when he arrived and texted the "turn on the lights" command that Tasker is waiting for, that would be one notification per day, as I understand it.
But also want to say that this suggestion is based on a quick google where I saw people talking about using texting w/Tasker to start actions, but I didn't confirm how it would work for Tasker to turn on your lights. Most likely Tasker could turn on a switch in Google Home that you'd monitor w/a rule to turn on the lights when the switch turns on. Also are likely endpoints you can hit from Tasker...
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I don't know what steps are involved in the NFC reader so I can't compare simplicity. But I was thinking about this:
You can assign whatever actions you like to the buttons then put a link on your phones home screen. Nothing to install.
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