Ngā Kupu Whakataki: Abstract The study focuses on identifying how the reconstruction of the whānau and its approach to childrearing through the colonisation of Māori society can be perceived within the experiences of the case study of four generations of one whānau. A kaupapa Māori approach to research provided a framework for members of our whānau to socially construct their realities regarding the dynamics of our four generation whānau collaboratively. Socio-cultural theoretical frameworks were used to analyse approaches to whānau and childrearing.