Eric Christian Olsen on Sleep Training His Son: ‘Your Heart Just Breaks a Little’

Eric Christian Olsen and his wife, actress Sarah Wright, recently found out that their 2-year-old son Wyatt Oliver is definitely a people person in the most adorable way possible.

“We went to a playground and there were eight kids there. And he went around hugging all the other kids,” the NCIS: Los Angeles star, 38, told PEOPLE at the Environmental Media Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 24.

“Our kid’s the hugger. He’s the one smiling and hugging people. He’s like the best golden retriever puppy you’ve ever seen. He’s endlessly happy.”

Michael Simon/Startraks

Well, not always. The couple, who have been co-sleeping with Wyatt, recently had him transition to his own bed, which ended in some tears and heart break.

“The first night of full sleeping, he was crying a few times, but then went back to sleep,” shares Wright, 32. “The next morning I went in and said, ‘Wyatt, how did you sleep?’ And he was like, ‘Good. Wyatt was crying.’ I went, ‘Why was Wyatt crying?’ And he said, ‘Wyatt was sad. Wyatt wanted to talk to Dada.’ ”

Says Olsen, “Your heart just breaks. He just wanted to hang out. They’re so emotionally aware at 2 years of age that it’s terrifying. You have a real human on your hands.”

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Olsen, who presented the EMA Children’s TV award to Miles from Tomorrowland at the gala, adds that having his son has made him become even more environmentally conscious.

“I think you can be selfish about your own choices knowing it just reflects you, but once you have a kid, you have to be responsible and you have to make the right choices for them,” explains Olsen. “He’s walking into a world that, if we don’t change the way we live, is going to be a very different place in 20 years.”

— Matthew Cole Weiss

from Celebrity Babies and Kids - Moms & Babies - People.com
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