how does lying about their ages help Elie and his father?

The advice to lie about their ages keeps Eli and his father together..... and alive.

By lying about their ages, they stay together. If they told the true about their ages, Elie would work in a factory while his dad worked elsewhere. They would never see each other again. Also they would be kept alive in order to work. Children would be killed more often then those who actually do the work without whining.

the both of them lied about their ages so they wouldn't separate them

they lied. how stupid