I still haven't bought my own diving gear. Got certified back in '98 in the US with rental gear, all included in the price of the course.
I stopped diving for 10 years or so a few years after getting certified. Had I put a lot of money into buying gear early on, it would have been wasted.
I've only recently gotten a dive computer and will probably buy my own mask, just because it's nice to have. Might end up getting all the necessary gear eventually. But it has never been an issue not having any. The more you dive the more it makes sense to invest in things.
All my three kids are OW certified. I was sure my eldest was going to be a keen diver, but she has had a lot of ear issues diving over several years, and that has put her off of it. My middle child doesn't absolutely love diving and only the youngest has turned out to be a regular, enthusiastic and a very skilful diver. You just never know early on how keen you will be after a while.