How should I have dealt with dd2 lying?

[MinkyBorage]

DD2 is 3 years old, and has started to tell the odd little pointless lies. The other day she said that she had washed her hands, things like that.
About half an hour ago I told dd1 and dd2 not to turn the tv on as we weren't watching it today. TV got turned on and dd2 said that dd1 had done it. Turns out dd2 had turned the tv on herself.
I told her that it's not good to say things that aren't true, and she wasn't listening so I tried to get her to sit on a step to think abnout it, which was silly because this never works. So, I've just got her special doll and put it in a bag on top of our wardrobe. I've told her that she can have the doll back tomorrow, and the reason I have taken her doll away is because she told a lie.

Now, am I over reacting? She's really upset now, and I feel like I should have chosen another toy which she would miss but not be quite so upset by. She's a strong little character with a great sense of humour, but she seemed think telling a lie was funny.

I know she's only 3 but I don't really know how else to make her see that telling lies is not good, no matter how small the lies are. It's all new to me because afaik dd1 has never told a lie in her life.

Help, what should I do?

I think it's better to nip it in the bud whilst young and get them to realise lying isn't a good thing to do and not right.

But maybe that's just me. I think the punishment is effective that you chose.

We all do the best we can as parents, it's good to teach your kids not to lie. If this is a recurring thing, it's better to nip it in the bud. If sitting on a step to think doesn't work. Maybe you could've tried sending to room? I dunno? Could you have sat in her room away from tv and distraction and had a chat about it and why its bad?

Try not to feel guilty, sometimes we choose a punishment quickly, these things happen but what's done is done. You can give her a cuddle etc though and resolve it but still say no dolly until tomorrow. But at least she knows she's forgiven and loved etc.

Read her the story of the boy who cried wolf and then discuss the book and get her to tell you why it's not a good idea to tell lies?

tbh I found that when I overreacted to lies, dcs told more and more of them, it escalated the problem and made them frightened of being found out, so they tried even harder to cover their tracks; when I relaxed a bit, the problem stopped

I don't get the feeling they have grown up into particularly deceitful people

Thanks all, I will ger the boy who cried wolf, good idea.
I tend to think the same as you teaadncake, re nipping it in the bud, but I can see how they could start to cover up more if I'm too heavy handed. God, it's a minefield.

Thanks