Antitrust for Kids: The Best Unfair Valentine Competition Ever

By: Molly Donovan (The Antitrust Attorney)

While Valentine’s Day may seem like the worst idea imaginable for adults, for second graders, it’s a delightful occasion filled with decorating mailboxes, crafting paper cards, and sharing treats with friends.

This year, the second graders had an exciting proposal to enhance Valentine’s Day even further: a contest to determine the maker of the best Valentine’s cards! The children would vote for a winner after carefully examining all the cards to assess creativity and execution. The victor would earn the prestigious title of the contest winner.

However, fairness is essential in any competition, big or small, and one rule is crystal clear: copying another friend’s idea is simply not fair.

Unfortunately, this is precisely what occurred (as often happens in these Antitrust for Kids stories).

Mikey’s innovative valentines made from actual waffles, adorned with frosting that spelled out “I like you a waffle lot,” were undeniably adorable.

The day before Valentine’s, Mikey’s mom shared photos of the waffle valentines on Instagram.

Upon seeing the post, Nora realized that her own cards (simple paper creations, lacking in inspiration) stood no chance of winning. Yet, Nora was determined to emerge victorious…

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