If you’re a creative mom—whether that means writing blog posts during nap time, designing digital printables, choreographing your child’s dance solo, or just finding clever ways to caption your family’s chaos on Instagram—you’ve probably had that heart-sinking moment when you see your work show up somewhere else. But with someone else’s name on it. Or worse, no name at all.
When that happens, it’s natural to wonder: Is this plagiarism? Is it copyright infringement? What’s the difference? And most importantly, is there anything you can do about it? As both a lawyer and a mom, I can tell you the answer is yes, but it starts with understanding how these issues really work.
Plagiarism and copyright infringement are often confused, but they’re not the same thing. Plagiarism is an ethical violation—it happens when someone tries to pass off your words, ideas, or work as their own without giving you credit. It’s common in schools, journalism, and yes, even in the blogging world. While it isn’t illegal, it can still cause serious consequences, including damaged reputations and loss of trust.
Copyright infringement, on the other hand, is a legal issue. It occurs when someone uses your original, creative work—whether it’s writing, photography, music, choreography, or even a printable checklist—without your permission or a legal exemption.
And yes, they can overlap. For example, if someone reposts your blog post, poem, or original recipe word-for-word without crediting you, they’ve likely committed both plagiarism and copyright infringement. But it’s also possible to commit one without the other. Say someone uses your entire chore chart and sells it on Etsy, but includes your name as the original creator. They didn’t try to claim it as their own (so maybe not plagiarism), but they still used your copyrighted material for commercial gain without permission, which is infringement.
These questions aren’t just theoretical. My daughter is a competitive dancer who trains over 15 hours a week, and watching her grow as an artist has given me a front-row seat to the intersection of creativity, effort, and legal risk.
Dance is a form of art, and legally, choreography is protected under copyright law. But there’s a catch: it must be fixed in a tangible medium. That means a video recording, written notation, or some way of capturing the dance in a way that lasts. If another studio copies your child’s original solo choreography and performs it, it might feel like theft—but if it wasn’t recorded or notated, the law might have a harder time helping you.
There are also numerous misconceptions circulating within creative communities, including the dance world and the mom blogosphere. Many people believe that crediting the creator is enough to make a use legal. It’s not. Only the copyright owner can give permission.
Another myth is that posting a disclaimer, such as “I don’t own the rights to this,” shields you from liability. It doesn’t. And then there’s the common belief that short clips or brief excerpts are always safe. Again, not true. Even using just a few seconds of a song or a short dance combination could still be considered infringement depending on how it’s used and the potential impact on the original creator’s rights.
Streaming media is another area where moms and families often stumble into murky territory. For instance, when you rent or stream a movie from a service like Netflix or Amazon Prime, you’re paying for the right to watch it, not to screen it at a public event, not to share the account across households, and definitely not to record or repost it.
Let’s say your child’s dance team wants to project scenes from a Disney movie as part of a recital performance. Even if no money is made from that performance, using copyrighted film footage or music without a license still likely violates the copyright holder’s rights. This is especially true when performances are recorded and shared online, whether privately or publicly. Just because it’s easy to stream doesn’t mean it’s free to use however we want.
So, what can moms do to protect their own work and model respect for others’ creations? Start by saving and documenting your original content.
Fix your blog posts, printables, photos, and choreography in a tangible medium. That’s how copyright rights attach. If it’s something really important—like a product you plan to sell, or a dance you want to preserve—you can go a step further and register your copyright. That unlocks legal benefits if you ever need to take action.
It’s also worth getting comfortable with the fine print. Read platform terms before you post, understand what fair use really means (hint: it’s more complicated than just being educational or non-commercial), and be clear about who owns what, especially if you’re collaborating with others. Whether you’re hiring a photographer, working with a choreographer, or partnering with another blogger, written agreements are your friend.
Ultimately, your creative work matters. The energy you put into your blog, your social media presence, your designs, your child’s dance journey—it’s all real, valuable work. And it deserves to be protected. Understanding the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement isn’t just about staying out of trouble. It’s about honoring the time, heart, and originality that go into what we create.
So the next time you see someone post “I don’t own the rights to this,” or you hear a parent say, “It’s just a recital, no one will care,” you’ll know better. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll help them understand too. Whether it’s a brilliant blog post, a powerful piece of choreography, or a lovingly curated family movie night, we all deserve credit for the work we do and the stories we tell.
