Yeah, yep, huh, what and acknowledgement

Do your children suffer from the yeahs and yeps?  How about the huhs and what's?  Maybe they just totally do not acknowledge you when you are speaking to them.  We are having a summer of bad habits, whether it is a yeah or a yep, an huh or a what, and finally just a plain not choosing to respond. Here is the problem, I am there biggest influence and most of their "socialization" skills come from yours truly.  So when my three sweet children started some bad habits, I of coarse wondered where in the world are they getting these from? They aren't at summer camps or day camps, they don't watch hours of unsupervised TV, they don't spend there time playing video games or computer games, and usually if they are playing with friends it is at our house.
First problem...our sweet five year old son, his disease the huhs and what's.  When you would speak to him, he would would respond with one of those responses.  Like, uh what'd you say or What? I didn't hear you.  The cure correcting the response to "Excuse me, Ma'am or Sir".  I had to remind him at first or simply say I would not answer that question.  He has done so much better.  Two weeks after the problem and cure were addressed he asked mommy a question.  My answer was a "Huh, what'd you say?"  He of coarse told me about the error of my ways.  Oops.
Second problem...our sweet twelve year does not like to respond, when spoken to.  After weeks of nagging and explaining that it is rude and Daddy does not like this she finally got it.  Not even a day later while at swimming lessons, I asked for a time check.  She tells me "Mommy, it is 3:45pm" and she repeats herself two more times and finally states in a loud voice "Mommy, you are not acknowledging me!" Dang it... In all fairness I was focused on teaching swimming lessons, but I did hear and should have answered.
Third problem...our sweet six year old and her disease, the darn yeps and yeahs. This one bugs me the most, this one I am guilty of the most too.  Every time a question is asked to her, her answer has become a yep or a yeah.  Followed by a gentle honey, please say "Yes, Ma'am or Sir" (We live in Alabama, this is not child abuse it is the way things are done.) Finally Thursday, I had enough, I took an old Navy trick, done at Corps School to a classmate of mine, Abigail go over to that trash can and say yep until all of them are in the garbage.  "Are they all gone?" "Yeah." "Good, now say 'yeah' in the garbage can until they are all gone."  "Are they all gone?"  "Yes, Ma'am."  Problem solved kind of we are still working on it, they have become a lot less though.  Fast forward to Friday, my son and I were going to swimming lessons, he talks non stop, he asked me a question.  Do you know what my answer was, I think it was along the lines of "yeah, you are right."  Followed by a, "Mommy, you are not supposed to say yeah when you are asked a question." Ugh!!!
So, going back to the beginning of this blogged message, I would like to say, I have a problem with yeahs, yeps, huhs, what's, and acknowledging others when they are speaking to me.
Solution, this Mommy needs to take time to say, "Yes", "Excuse, me could you repeat yourself" and take the time to respond to the ones I love when they are speaking to me. Yeah, it happens to the best of us. Should we give up or try harder?