Family Parking Spaces: Who can Park?

Have you noticed this special parking sign board before? 

Family Friendly Parking Space, IKEA

It is quite obvious from the picture: a man, a woman, and a kid and stroller. Yes, this is a "family parking" space, specially designated for the convenience of families who come to shop at IKEA. It is very kind and considerate of IKEA to have provided such parking spaces that are close to the store entrance, as I can imagine the struggles parents with young kids have to go through before they can get into the store. 

But do you know that family parking area is also designated for expectant mothers? 

Now that my stomach is getting bigger, I am very pleased to know that the convenience of these family parking lots is also extended to pregnant ladies.

It was a crowded weekend at IKEA. 

Hubby and I were in the car trying to find an empty parking lot, when we noticed the car in front of us driving out from the family parking area. Yeah! Finally a spot to park...and it's even better that it's close to the entrance. 

When hubby was reversing our car for a reverse parking, suddenly a security guard rushed out from don't know where and stood in the parking lot, yelling to us: "No, No, No parking!".

And before we could react, we saw the Nepali guard directing another car behind us to park at this family spot. It was a car with a young kid. 

Hubby went down from our car, trying to explain to the guard that there's a pregnant lady in the car (that's me :p), why can't we park? The guard with his very bad attitude, just yelled "No No No - Family!" When we tried to explain further, he simply ignored us and walked away. At the end, hubby requested to speak to his manager to make a complaint. Luckily the manager handled the issue in a fairly professional way. Even though our shopping mood was slightly affected, it was not totally spoiled.

I think in the future if IKEA were to allocate parking lot for expectant mothers, maybe they should change its sign board to include the picture of a pregnant lady to avoid confusion.

Or should I suggest IKEA to provide better training to their security guards so that they at least understand the meaning of each parking sign board?