Selma Blair Explains How She Used Travel as a 'Refuge' During Some of Her 'Darkest Days' of Being a Mom

When Selma Blair was going through some of her toughest days, she was able to rely on travel.

The actress, 52, was interviewed by Travel + Leisure for their March cover story and spoke about how she was bitten by the travel bug again after she gave birth to her now 13-year-old son Arthur, whom she shares with ex Jason Bleick.

When asked what inspired her to start traveling again, Blair says, "Becoming a mom."

"I was so tired and sick, though I didn't know why at the time, and I just craved being somewhere beautiful where other people take care of you," she continues. "I could order soup for me, and food for my kid, and enjoy beautiful sights."

"I used travel as a refuge in the darkest days of early motherhood."

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Related: Selma Blair Candidly Shares How Living with Multiple Sclerosis Has Impacted Her as a Single Parent Raising Her Son Arthur

In September, Blair spoke with PEOPLE at The Daily Front Row's 11th Annual Fashion Media Awards and detailed her love for her teenage son.

As the proud mother explained, the "teenage years have happened."

"I'm a grandma," Blair jokingly said. "I have an announcement."

"No, he's 13 and you would think he's 17," she added. "And he is the child that I will have to learn to keep a closer eye on. Because I love him very much."

Later that month, Blair shared with PEOPLE that for the longest time, her teenage son had refused to view any of her films — until he watched 1999's Cruel Intentions with his girlfriend.

“I spoke to my son and I said, ‘What did you do with your girlfriend this weekend?’ He's like, ‘We watched Cruel Intentions.’ I couldn't get him to watch a film of mine ever,” Blair recalled.

“I mean, I've tried, he's never watched. But with a girl, he’ll watch Cruel Intentions, and I was like, ‘Oh dear,’ ” she added, noting that it's a “sexy movie.”

She said her son even mimicked one of the more explicit gestures in the film and asked her about it — putting her on the spot. “He's like, ‘Mom, what was that?’ Because my character Cecile does it,” Blair explained. “It was naughty. It was naughty, is my point.”

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