Final answer:
The mother is likely experiencing tension, as indicated by the phrase "tension crept into my mother's body," which reflects an emotional response of anxiety or stress to children's honesty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mother in the provided passage is likely experiencing tension due to the mention of children's honesty. The phrase "tension crept into my mother's body" signals that the emotion the mother is feeling is not joy, relief, or indifference, but rather anxiety or stress. This could be due to the unpredictable nature of children's honesty, which might reveal uncomfortable truths or lead to situations that require difficult conversations or actions. The notion of children's emotional states, their impact on parental concerns, and the dynamics of family relationships are threads within the broader context of literature and parental experiences.