I feel for you TIAT. Not in the second act portion of life where family now has any control over my wife or I, but in that I watched the dog and pony show often. My dad was an elder and gave talks about happy family life as all of his kids, and even his wife, rolled their eyes. He was full of crap up there. He did the same on assembly parts. My mom has even left the auditorium during his parts.
As a young person I was a great example in the congregation. I was therefore asked to do several parts. I distinctly remember that if my answers to whatever questions I was asked in the interviews wasn't good enough, I would be coached into giving better answers. You know, not truthful ones, but ones that set a higher standard. My wife was on parts as a kid, and she too had her stories massaged to be more than what they were.
So, it doesn't surprise me one bit that anyone would lie around the circuit or on any part. Happens all of the time. It is easier to lie in that way because the lies are often things that you feel guilty about. Your mom probably felt bad on some level that she didn't study and such with you, and she intended to, so that's all that counts. In her mind, she probably did at this point because she can't bear the shame of not having done so. How sad that all of that is put on everyone to the point of shame that motivates one to tell revisionist stories.
I believe very little of any personal experiences given from any stage. I assume most to be exaggerations at least, outright lies at most.