Issue with child pages URL

There is a huge issue with nested(child) PAGES URL, when in www.mysite.com/%postname%.
It should not automatically include the parent page %postname% in the URL, as www.mysite.com/%parent-postname%/%child-postname%/.
It’s a huge issue in terms of SEO.
For example: I have a page www.mysite.com/primary-topic/secondary-topic/ and it has good rankings in Google.
If I decided that I just want it to be a parent page (not a child to any other page) and I save it, the URL is changing automatically.
Do I need to explain what will happened to the rankings of this page then?

So please explain me how to avoid this in order the URL will look like this www.mysite.com/secondary-topic/ even if it child page’ but remain a child in the breadcrumbs’ and with automatic menu at the sidebar.

*This also should go to the todo-list, for next theme upgrade, as an option to chose (in my opinion).

• This topic was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by vadi4ek.