I have a friend at school that is a boy. My parents suspect that we must be carrying on a relationship that is more than just friends. But I want us to be friends only. So can a girl be friends with a boy without having romantic feelings between them?

Let me put it like this. Yes, boys and girls can be friends. They can share a love for hobbies and interests, help and encourage each other in different aspects of their lives. One of the reasons adults may say that boys and girls cannot be friends is that Malawian society traditionally separated young people of the opposite sex, as they believe that the times the two interacted was always in a romantic capacity. But things have changed. Girls and boys are in school together, work together and live in communities together, they can interact as friends should they so wish.

Of course, there may be a time when a boy and girl do wish to enter into a romantic relationship and that is not a problem in itself, however in that circumstance I would encourage that both sides are sure they are mentally and emotionally mature and ready.