MU181: Julie Caprera | Willing to Be Willing

On this inspiring episode of the Mastery Unleashed podcast, host Christie Ruffino welcomes Julie Caprera, a dynamic published author and homeschooling advocate, to share her transformative journey into home education. Julie recounts how her initial skepticism about homeschooling evolved into a passionate mission after meeting Christy at a conference. With Christy’s unwavering support, Julie embraced a new path that led her to become a published author and empowered her to guide homeschool moms through the challenges of unconventional education.

Drawing from her background as a critical care nurse and her personal experiences with her children’s diverse learning needs—including those of special needs children—Julie explains that homeschooling isn’t about replicating traditional classrooms at home. Instead, it’s about nurturing independent thinkers and fostering a mindset that values flexibility, creativity, and real-world skills. She introduces her CARE framework—Create your vision, Assess your variables, Restructure your schedule, Evaluate, and Encourage—to help parents navigate the journey with clarity and confidence. Julie’s heartfelt story and practical advice underscore the rewards of a debt-free, personalized education that equips children with essential life skills, making her a motivational and actionable message.

 

ABOUT JULIE

Julie Caprera didn't expect to be a pioneer. In her early years, her Norwegian Lutheran family echoed Lake Wobegon of Garrison Keillor fame. Her father went to work for the Apollo space program, moving the family to Cocoa Beach, FL. Life is bathing suits, T-shirts, and flip-flops when one lives six blocks from the beach. Julie earned her BSN at Florida State University. Being a member of the FSU Student Circus was great therapy during nursing school. Next came 15 years as a critical care nurse. Marrying Rob Caprera brought Julie to Massachusetts, which was quite a culture shock after Florida.

As new parents in the 1980s, Julie and Rob became pioneers in the emerging world of homeschooling. They didn't plan to be so out of the box, but doors kept opening. Life became an adventure of learning opportunities. Pioneers try new things to find the best match. For the Capreras, homeschooling included lots of national and international travel. Julie's search for personal mentors led her to help new homeschooling families. Helping others became the Capreras' passion over the next three decades. Julie and Rob served over two decades on the MassHOPE Board of Directors. Julie was also a regular homeschool conference speaker. An unexpected turn came when Rob's mother moved in with them due to her Alzheimer's. Homeschooling continued as they pioneered multi-generational living. For eight and a half years, Julie served as primary caregiver. A side benefit of homeschooling has been studying art and working in oils and acrylics.

To better mentor more moms, Julie became a student. She then entered the world of online entrepreneurship. A recent out-of-the-box challenge was completing 75 HARD on her first attempt. Connect with Julie at www.CAREhomeschool.com.

 

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Don't Panic 20 min Coaching Session

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LINKS SHARED ON THE SHOW

www.carehomeschool.com

www.linkedin.com/in/julie-caprera-7b1a7819/

www.facebook.com/julie.caprera

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Mastery Unleashed is a podcast for success-driven women who want to empower their...