Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am lucky that I have a separate space for parents to enter. They enter immediately into a cubby area that limits their ability to access the rest of the house by a half door gate.
It works great!
I prefer parents just walk in. Don't knock...just walk in.
Every time some one knocks, the entire group of kids I have stops what they are doing and comes over to the gate to see what's going on.... 
so I prefer parents simply walk in.
I've noticed over the years that some providers like parents to knock. Some providers don't like parents that knock.
Some providers like to micro manage drop offs and others are super flexible. Some providers greet parents prior to entry, where other providers have parents come on in and basically join in all the activities.
Like every thing else daycare, it's all in how YOU run/operate YOUR business. So the best advice I have for this situation and the way I solved my issues (I don't like knocking and I prefer drop and go. super simply, super easy) is to literally take the time during the tour/interview to "show" parents what I want drop off and pick up to look like.
I literally "pretend" to be them and physically go through the steps of dropping off/picking up.
I will say:
"This is what drop off looks like for my program.
Parents walk in.
Don't knock (I explain why) and they assist their child in taking off their coats/shoes and hanging them up in their lockers.
Then they kiss/hug them and say goodbye.
The parent then opens the gate (kids aren't allowed to touch it....I explain as I go along any policies I have pertaining to drop off/pick up) and send their child inside. Drop off is the same thing in reverse. Do you have any questions?"
So I physically perform the actions for them so that when they do their first drop off, they know exactly what to do.
I didn't always do that whole song/dance but after a few years of parents not really "getting it" I realized that I had to SHOW them verses tell them or assume they would pickup social cues from others. 
It's been a good thing and has kept my drop offs/pick ups fairly stress free.
You always post great info. Would you mind tagging these kinds of advice with “BlackCat”? I do the same for NannyDe and Tom Copeland. You should be writing your own book about Daycare.