@T.Sar Everything is easy if you never try. If we are to take OP at face value, it means OP has tried and succeeded in complex problem space that these several developers you know haven't. That's not for nothing - it's "not hard" to say you have the skills to produce internet-scale webservices or write a new database, it is entirely another to actually be able to show that you succeeded. It is enough to say that it's not a problem that interests the developers you know (there are many problems like that, i'm sure), but that doesn't say anything about the difficulty of the problem.

I can't say this is universally true. Personally, the more people around me, the less I can focus and the lower my output. To say nothing of having someone watch over my shoulder ("screen sharing by default" or otherwise). I'm notably more productive with hours that allow me quiet time in the evenings to work when nobody is around, and an office that isn't shared. While daily standups and occasional code reviews are normal, I can't say that the rest is a reasonable across-the-board request. It just sounds like micromanagement. OP is already spending too much time managing this person.

@Incurrence Five years of on-the-clock experience isn't practical knowledge?

While I don't agree with downvoting this answer, I think you might have overlooked part of OP's post. You mention no practical knowledge, but OP claims to have worked as a bartender in his father's pub for 5 years, has taken courses, and does research on his own time.