Serving Beyond: Krisna Guyton Connect With Parents Through “My Parenting Partners”

Wake Forest, NC – If you have ever had the opportunity to connect with Krisna Guyton, you have had the pleasure of leaving her presence filling empowered to be your best self and to live a fulfilling life. A wife, mother of three, nurse, entrepreneur, and true inspirationalist, Krisna boldly exemplifies empowering women and unapologetically allows her love for life to shine wherever she goes. Krisna believes in encouraging others to be intentional with their time and energy so that they can get the very best out of life.

With a heart to nurture women from just surviving to living a fulfilled and thriving life, Krisna empowers mothers to enhance their quality of life while mothering their children. She supports them in leading purposeful lives. As a mother and wife, she felt the need to create a resource that would give women back their time and relieve them of the common stress associated with parenthood, while also bringing families closer together. This vision came into fruition through her company My Parenting Partners. Because of her own experiences as a wife and mother and her natural desire to be a valuable resource and advocate for parents, through My Parenting Partners she is able to connect families to professionals that will assist with their daily parenting tasks.

Krisna continues to positively influence wives and mothers from all walks of life; and she doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Krisna on a personal level over the past four years, and I am amazed at her ability to provide persistent support for women and thrust them to their next level. Krisna takes immense pride in serving as a resource and happily gives her energy to serving beyond the traditional healthcare setting as she lends herself to guiding women along their life’s journey.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a devoted wife and mother of three. I moved from Ohio to North Carolina nine years ago and never looked back. I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and traveling. I absolutely love the beach; any beach is my favorite place. My ultimate passion lies within the heart space of women.

What attracted you to the healthcare profession, particularly nursing?

I grew up in a family that served, from my parents to my grandparents. Since childhood, I’ve witnessed others being taken care of. Whether through a visit to the elderly or providing a hot meal to the poor, service was ingrained in me early on. After graduating high school, I attended Kent State University and as early as five days into the semester, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. I started off hopping from one major to another, but thanks to prerequisites I was able to experience two courses, biology, and psychology, that breathed life into me while in college and ultimately led me to my career. I was so intrigued with biology that I attended extra study sessions with a good friend of mine every week to learn more about the topic. In 2009, I gave birth to my son five weeks prematurely, sending him to the special care unit immediately following his birth. To my surprise, his nurse ended up being my tutor from the biology study group. Seeing her take care of my son inspired me to become a nurse. I signed up for classes and the rest is history!

Do you feel you are/were making the impact you desire with patients in your  “9-5” position?

I do believe that I made an impact in all of the positions I held as a nurse over the past decade. Each was very special to me for various reasons. I have worked as a school nurse caring for children with special needs. Having my own child with special needs made it that much easier to handle the responsibilities. It truly takes a special person to care for special needs children. I believe that my own personal experience allowed me to care for them and leave their parents with peace of mind. When I worked for Duke University Health Systems, I had the privilege of leading a team of medical assistants. This was probably one of the most esteemed positions I have ever held. I have never worked for a company that values its employees, from all levels of the organization. You could depend on everyone there. The doctors particularly made coming to work a joyful experience. They shared their knowledge and trusted their team. I am forever grateful for this season in my career. I held another position where I work with a team of nurses in a triage center. We did not see and interact with many patients in person. This was tough because I entered into the nursing field to care directly for people; however, I learned the most in the triage position and it prepared me for who I am today. The relationships that I gained in the few years at the triage center are irreplaceable! My most recent position allowed me to work as a home health nurse, which was the most life-changing position and really prepared me for my business. Being so close to families and witnessing the impact of my work helped me appreciate nursing even more. When I decided that it was time to take a step back and turn my focus to my business and my family, it was by far the hardest decision I have ever made in my career. I remember crying the entire way home missing my patients. 

What, or who has served as your inspiration as a nurse?

I was always inspired by nurses who went the extra mile. Those who remained committed to their profession and purpose. Two nurses I encountered, in particular, went above and beyond, which indirectly made me want to be better in every way possible. 

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years as a healthcare professional?

I see myself continuing to help mothers improve their quality of life while raising their children and leading purpose-driven lives. Mothers are very special, and we take our strength for granted. I believe that if we reach out and receive more help in all areas of life we will be that much stronger mentally, physically, and emotionally. My role as a parent advocate and partnering with mothers will be to continue providing the resources needed to make these improvements.

Let’s talk about your role as a nurse and founder of My Parenting Partners. How did this concept come about? Why do you feel it’s important to operate in this capacity?

I found myself constantly overwhelmed with the responsibilities of raising a family. I would leave work every day tired only to go home to more duties. From cooking to cleaning to homework, it was all too much. I rarely found time for me or to just be a mom. I began looking into starting a business as I saw this as the only way to relieve this stress.  I knew that serving was still my calling, but I wasn’t exactly sure how. I ended up having a dream where God revealed the name shopping helper in huge red letters on top of a skyscraper. When I woke up from this dream, I immediately knew that this was the answer. Naturally, I thought this meant that I would be physically helping people shop for things. As a nurse, I envisioned myself delivering medication to the sick and shut-in, which is what I witnessed as a young girl when my parents would take us on Sunday trips to see family members who were living in nursing facilities. However, after going through deep personal development and mentorship I discovered that the answer to my problem was to help other parents, particularly women, who were in the same position and experiencing the same problems. I would do this by connecting families to professionals to help out with day to day tasks. My Parenting Partners was created for that very reason, to help women retrieve their time and experience stress relief associated with parenting, while also bringing families closer together.

I feel that it is important for me to operate in this capacity because I share a connection with mothers and I truly understand the level of strength and sacrifice required to walk in this role. We are often overlooked, not in the sense that people don’t see how hard we work, but in how much help we truly need. We often sacrifice ourselves to provide for our families. We operate on just enough. Whether that be sleep, food, dreams, or help in general, we take on more than we should and I am here to change that dynamic. Through my journey, I learned the true definition of “it takes a village to raise a child”. When you use your village to its fullest potential, then you have room to live and walk fully in your purpose.

When did you know it was time to serve beyond nursing in the traditional healthcare setting and step into the business arena and become an entrepreneur?

I knew that it was time when I had to sacrifice time with my children. I loved my career in the traditional nursing field. I loved my patients and colleagues; however, coming home from a demanding job left me very little time to truly focus on the needs of my family. I desired to be a great mom and spouse more than anything else. It was a bittersweet moment, but ultimately I know I made the right choice. 

What tips do you have for nurses, or others in the healthcare field, who desire to branch out into another aspect of serving as a healthcare professional, whether in the community or through business ownership?

Listen to the call. You will know when God has another assignment for you, whether that be smack dab in the middle of the nursing field or if it is not. You are here for a reason, and your knowledge and experiences will be the tools that will guide you through each level of the journey. Once you realize what your reason for existence is, hire a coach or mentor who has been where you want to go. Mentors save you time and money in the long run. 

What advice or tips would you give to nurses during this COVID-19 healthcare crisis? What is your suggestion for burnout prevention? 

I suggest that you don’t take on more than you can handle. I know that we like to think that if we don’t do it then our patients will suffer or even our fellow nurses; however, if you are burnt out your patients could potentially suffer greater harm. When you do not take breaks, you lose your ability to make wise decisions and use good judgment which is essential to you and your patient’s wellbeing. Give yourself grace. You are only one person. Tend to your sheep with the knowledge and wisdom you have gained through your experience and instruction. Know that your best is all that you can expect from you. Yes, we save lives, but we are not healers. God will assist you through the process and ultimately he has the final say on any situation. Trust that you have served Him well. 

How can our readers connect with you?

I am on Instagram and Facebook @krisnaguyton. You can email me @ info@myparentingpartners.com or visit my website www.krisnaguyton.com.