Why did his father wish elizer had gone with his mother?

i don't know why its ironic but Elie's father wish Elie would had gone with his mother because he didn't want to see his son's death...so "i think" the irony is that he never did get to see his son's death but his son get to see his

~Daffy~
The irony is from that fact that most likely Elie's mother and sister were sent to the gas chambers. While it is unknown if his mother and sister died then or later, Elie comments at that part in the book that he was "leaving my mother and sister forever" (page 29). The irony of his fathers comment could be from the fact that he believes they are headed for death, and that Elie's mother and sister lived, when the opposite seems true. In a desire to see his son spared Elie's father unknowingly wished for his son to be killed.
-KRSmith
I think it is ironic because if Elie would have gone with his mother and sister he would have died. But since he didn't he got to live and tell the story.