"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice reported to the prison before 3 a.m. on Monday to begin serving her 15-month sentence for bankruptcy fraud, reports Yahoo Celebrity.

Teresa left her Montville Township mansion accompanied by her attorney, James J. Leonard Jr., shortly after midnight.

"I think she was anxious to get in, get this thing started, get it behind her, and get back to her family," Leonard told ABC. "Her four girls are her primary focus."

The care of her children while she serves her prison sentence has weighed heavily on Teresa. She has reportedly been searching for housing for her younger children, while her oldest daughter, Gia, plans to live at the home of her friend and fellow 3KT member.

Gia shared her thoughts on Twitter as her mother departed the family home to begin her prison term.

"Support system is unreal," the aspiring singer posted with #soblessed as the hashtag and a growing heart emoji. She also retweeted a post from bandmate Cristianna Cardinale: "The 2 strongest girls I know and nothing's gonna change that."

Viewers have seen 42-year-old Teresa as a determined and headstrong woman on the hit reality series, but there's no doubt her time in prison will be stressful and socially challenging. To prepare for prison, she talked with former Danbury prison inmates about what to expect. Her lawyer told ABC News she was advised to be "friendly but guarded."

"They told her to keep her head up, that she would make it through," he said.

Teresa will be able to see her husband and daughters during prison visitation -- as soon as this coming weekend.

Once Teresa completes her 15-month sentence, her husband, Joe Giudice, will begin his 41-month prison sentence. The judge at sentencing determined it was best if they served separately so that one parent could be home with the children. Once the couple has served their prison terms, there may be more trouble to come. Joe is not an American citizen and could face deportation once released.

In July 2013, Joe and Teresa were freed on $1 million bond after being indicted on charges of financial fraud. The couple faced 39 different charges that could have landed them in prison for up to 50 years.